Heartbreaking: Texas Border Officials Tear Apart Migrant Families, Detain Desperate Fathers

Migrant families crossing over into the United States are facing a heart-wrenching reality as Texas state officials tear them apart, detaining fathers on trespassing charges and turning over screaming and crying children and mothers to federal officials. 

The latest stance of Texas officials is a marked shift from allowing “migrant families” to stay together and referring them to federal officers. This shows how desperate the Biden administration is to stem out illegal migration and border crossings into the US. The first reported incident came to light in July when families were separated in the “border town of Eagle Pass“, west of San Antonio. 

Travis Considine, spokesman for the “Department of Public Safety“, said children have never been separated from their mothers, but there have been instances in which DPS has arrested male migrants on state charges who were with their family when the alleged crime occurred. Kristin Etter, an attorney with Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid, said 26 families have been separated by Texas officials. She described the move as nothing short of state-sponsored family separation. 

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The US Department of Homeland Security said these reports were troubling and should be investigated. It highlighted that managing the border in a safe and human way works best when states and officials work together to respect the dignity of every human being and keep the communities safe. 

It should be noted that earlier this year, Texas lawmakers passed “immigration laws“, including the creation of a state border police force and increased penalties for trespassing. A little over $5 billion was allocated for border security funding and federal immigration officers were empowered to make arrests under Texas laws. The state is also making headlines for the ball-sized buoys in the Rio Grande along the Eagle Pass region.