In a campaign stop near Houston, Republican Governor Greg Abbott of Texas announced that the state would no longer allow Border Patrol agents on a park along the U.S.-Mexico border. The announcement drew applause from supporters as Abbott expressed frustration over migrants illegally entering the U.S. through the border city of Eagle Pass and being loaded onto buses by federal agents. He declared, "We've had it. We're not going to let this happen anymore." Little did he know that his decision would have tragic consequences.

Later that night, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security revealed that three migrants, including two children, had drowned near the park after Texas officials "physically barred" Border Patrol agents from entering. Mexican authorities discovered the bodies on the other side of the Rio Grande, each wearing jackets. This devastating incident intensified tensions between Texas and the Biden administration and triggered a new round of criticism from Democrats, who accused Abbott's aggressive actions of putting migrants at risk.

White House spokesman Angelo Fernandez Hernandez emphasized the need for Border Patrol agents to have access to the area around Shelby Park, which Texas had closed off earlier in the week. "Border Patrol must have access to the border to enforce our laws," Hernandez stated. However, the Texas Military Department disputed the U.S. government's accounts, labeling them as "wholly inaccurate." They claimed that Border Patrol had requested access after the drownings had already occurred and the bodies were being recovered by Mexican authorities.

In a letter to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, the Biden administration stuck to their initial account, asserting that Texas had denied Border Patrol agents access before they were aware of the migrants' deaths. Jonathan E. Meyer, Homeland Security's general counsel, wrote, "Texas has demonstrated that even in the most exigent circumstances, it will not allow Border Patrol agents access to the border to conduct law enforcement and emergency response activities." Meyer even threatened legal action if Texas did not restore access by the end of Wednesday.

Shelby Park, a 50-acre park owned by the city of Eagle Pass, lies in a major corridor for migrants entering illegally from Mexico and has become the focal point of Abbott's Operation Lone Star, an aggressive attempt to curb illegal crossings. Migrants attempting to cross the Rio Grande are periodically swept away to their deaths by the river's strong current. Representative Henry Cuellar, a Democrat representing a Texas border district, confirmed that state officials had investigated the distress call and searched for the missing migrants. However, he stated that Border Patrol was indeed barred from entering Shelby Park.

The park is used by the state Department of Public Safety and the Texas Military Department to patrol border crossings. Eagle Pass Mayor Rolando Salinas questioned why the state closed the park, especially since daily apprehensions in the region had fallen in recent weeks. The state provided no warning or timetable for reopening. The Justice Department informed the U.S. Supreme Court that Texas had taken control of Shelby Park and was preventing Border Patrol agents from entering. Texas acknowledged seizing the park but argued that the federal government had mischaracterized their actions and that they were working to resolve any disputes over access.

Texas has faced ongoing scrutiny for its efforts to curb border crossings. Governor Abbott has sent over 100,000 migrants on buses to Democratic-led cities, even during harsh winter conditions. He has also erected razor wire on the border and installed buoy barriers on the Rio Grande. Melissa R. Cigarroa, a city council member in Laredo and a member of the No Border Wall Coalition, attended a vigil at Shelby Park to commemorate the deaths of migrants along the Rio Grande. She described passing through a gate with armed National Guard members and witnessing law enforcement officers and vehicles near the river. Reflecting on the ceremony and the reason behind it, she expressed her concern for the value placed on human lives in these decisions, stating, "People are dying, and we know now that deterrents mean nothing.".