Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued an executive order restricting volunteers or anyone who is not a law enforcement officer from transporting migrants who crossed the border illegally, following a situation in La Joya earlier this week.
On Wednesday, Abbott drew attention to the COVID-19 surge and ordered Texas Department of Public Safety troopers to stop vehicles, even impound them, if they are used to transport migrants who “crossed the border illegally or who would have been subject to expulsion under the Title 42 order,” his executive order stated. The vehicle will be rerouted to its point of origin or port of entry.
The executive order mentioned La Joya specifically.
“…busloads of migrants, an unknown number of whom are infected with COVID-l9, are being transported to communities across the State of Texas exposing the Texans to the spread of COVID- 19, as has already been reported in cities like La Joya, among others,” the order read.
The La Joya Police Department addressed the concerns of a local citizen who called them after seeing a migrant family who appeared to be sick at a local restaurant on Monday. Upon further inquiry, the family told the officers they were quarantined at a nearby hotel after testing positive for COVID-19 and being released by CBP.
La Joya Mayor Isidro Casanova received a call from Abbott on Tuesday after a press conference there. By Wednesday afternoon, Abbott had already signed the executive order.
The order will not affect CBP, ICE, county or city law enforcement officers from driving migrants through the local community. It will affect anyone else, like volunteers who drive them from shelters or quarantine hotels.
Currently, Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley allows the government to drop off migrants at its shelters, but they’re tested first for COVID-19. If a member of the family tests positive, all of the family is quarantined at a hotel paid by CCRGV. The practice has been in place for months.
On Monday, the nearly 1200-person shelter reached capacity and was unable to accept migrants, according to statements made by Sister Norma Pimentel, the charity’s executive director. Other churches that also serve as overflow shelters began taking more migrants in, like Our Lady of Guadalupe.
Buses take migrants from McAllen to the other overflow shelters and quarantined hotels.
Pimentel said the shelter was no longer at capacity Wednesday afternoon, which could cause a situation that could be affected by the governor’s order.
DPS officials refused to comment on the order, saying “the Texas Department of Public Safety does not discuss operational specifics.”
