The directive authorizes the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) to stop any vehicle suspected of carrying migrants that may be infected with the virus and to return them back to a point of origin or a port of entry, according to a statement from the governor’s office. The DPS also reserves the right to seize and take custody of any vehicle that does not comply with the rule.
The prohibition on transporting migrants who have been detained by Customs and Border Patrol for entering the United States illegally applies to any individual in Texas who may attempt it, other than a federal, state, or local law-enforcement official.
“The dramatic rise in unlawful border crossings has also led to a dramatic rise in COVID-19 cases among unlawful migrants who have made their way into our state, and we must do more to protect Texans from this virus and reduce the burden on our communities,” Governor Abbott said. “This Executive Order will reduce the risk of COVID-19 exposure in our communities.”
Abbott issued the decision in response to the surge of migrants that have unlawfully crossed the southern border in recent months, many of whom have tested positive for COVID. In the order, Abbott argues that the Biden administration’s refusal to enforce Title 42, a Trump-era measure coined the “turn back” policy that deported migrants who could be contagious with the disease, and failure to enforce the country’s immigration laws have jeopardized and could have a “potentially catastrophic effect” on public health efforts in Texas...MORE
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