Trump says San Diego's border barrier works, but migrants are pushed to more dangerous areas
The city's hardened border contributed to a decline in crossings in the years immediately after fencing was installed in the 1990s.
© Provided by MediaDC: Washington Newspaper Publishing Company, Inc.EAGLE PASS, TEXAS — The Trump administration has flooded the Texas border town that sits just over the river from the Mexican city where 1,800 caravan migrants arrived earlier this week with hundreds of law enforcement personnel.
More than 100 U.S. police vehicles lined a one-mile stretch of the Rio Grande River in Eagle Pass, Texas, Saturday afternoon. Sixty sat together in one section of the river on a local golf course.
The massive "show of force” — as Border Patrol is calling it — is meant to deter Central Americans from illegally entering the country, as large groups attempted in San Diego, Calif., last November and again on New Year’s Eve.
Nearly 2,000 migrants arrive at Texas-Mexico border, prompting 500 state troopers to respond
Law enforcement responds as a Central American caravan of almost 2,000 people arrives outside the Texas-Mexico border with hopes of crossing into US.
"To me, it’s like showing force. It would give a message to the immigrants that want to come illegally through Texas that Texas is always prepared and have a lot of manpower at the border — that they would go to another state," said Maverick County Sheriff Tom Schmerber told the Washington Examiner.
Dozens of pickup trucks, SUVs, and cars belonging to Customs and Border Protection, Border Patrol, and state troopers within the Texas Department of Public Safety were lined up on the edge of the Eagle Pass Golf Course.
Schmerber said 500 Department of Public Safety personnel have been moved to Eagle Pass. That figure does not include the Border Patrol that came from other regions of the state.
Military troops, including active-duty, National Guard, and Texas State Guard, were also spotted on the golf course. An additional 250 are expected to arrive in the coming days.
U.S. border officials don't share Trump's zeal for border wall: lawmakers
U.S. border officials don't share Trump's zeal for border wall: lawmakers
The Rio Grande River separates both countries there, and due to the landscape, portions of the border do not have a physical barrier, making it easier for people to try to enter the U.S.
A Texas highway patrol officer told the Washington Examiner no one had attempted to cross the river and illegally enter the U.S. from Mexico on Saturday as of 5 p.m. local time.
A caravan of several thousand Central American migrants has traveled to the U.S.-Mexico border.
(Pictured) Maria Lila Meza, 39, and two children run with other migrants away from tear gas in front of the border wall between the U.S. and Mexico on Nov. 25.
A group of migrants demand access to a Mexican Immigration agent at a temporary shelter for migrants in Piedras Negras, Mexico on Feb. 8.
Migrants, most of whom are part of a recently arrived caravan, walk past Mexican army soldiers guarding a hostel the migrants are staying as they wait to apply for asylum into the United States on Feb. 8 in Piedras Negras, Mexico.
Migrants, most of whom are part of a recently arrived caravan, are seen at a migrant hostel as they wait to apply for asylum in to the United States on Feb. 8 in Piedras Negras, Mexico.
Laundry is seen hanging on a fence as migrants, most of whom are part of a recently arrived caravan, are housed at a migrant hostel as they wait to apply for asylum in to the United States on Feb. 8 in Piedras Negras, Mexico.
Migrants of a recently arrived caravan are seen at a migrant hostel as they wait to apply for asylum in to the United States on Feb. 8 in Piedras Negras, Mexico.
Honduran migrants show a flag after singing their national anthem at a winery used as refuge in Piedras Negras, Coahuila state, Mexico, on Feb. 7.
Some 40 Central American migrants get on a bus provided by the Mexican Migration Institute in Piedras Negras Coahuila, Mexico, to voluntarily return to their countries on Feb. 7.
Members of the Mexican Army guard the exterior of a warehouse used as a hostel for Central American migrants in Piedras Negras, Coahuila state, Mexico on Feb. 7.
Members of the Mexican Army guard the exterior of a warehouse used as a hostel for Central American migrants in Piedras Negras, Coahuila state, Mexico on Feb. 7.
A Honduran boy looks through a fence from inside a warehouse used as a shelter for migrants in Piedras Negras, Coahuila state, Mexico, on the US border, on Feb. 6.
A Honduran family walks back to Piedras Negras, Coahuila state, Mexico, at the international bridge, after being rejected by US authorities in their attempt to enter Eagle Pass, Texas, on Feb. 6.
A member of the US Border Police controls a man's document at the international bridge in Texas, as seen from Piedras Negras, Coahuila state, Mexico, on Feb 6.
Members of the US Border Police guard the Rio Bravo, natural border between Eagle Pass, Texas, and Piedras Negras, Coahuila state, Mexico, as seen from Piedras Negras, on Feb. 6.
A toy is seen from Piedras Negras, Coahuila state, Mexico, as members of the US Border Police guard the international bridge in Texas, on Feb. 6.
Migrants look at police officers standing on the other side of a fence of a provisional shelter in Piedras Negras, Mexico, on Feb. 5.
A man shows humanitarian visas issued by Mexican authorities as he takes part in a meeting in a provisional shelter for migrants on Feb. 5 in Piedras Negras.
Doctors treat disabled migrant Jose Serrano in a provisional shelter in Piedras Negras on Feb. 5.
Members of the federal police eat while guarding the outside of a warehouse used as a hostel for migrants in Piedras on Feb. 5.
Migrants read documents issued by Mexican Authorities in a provisional shelter in Piedras Negras, on Feb. 5.
Yeral Paz, 5, is held by his mother as they wait in a line of migrants to get into buses towards the United States, in Saltillo, on Feb. 4.
Migrants are pictured inside a provisional shelter in Saltillo, on Feb. 3.
Paramedics provide first aid to a migrant who was injured by a platform truck during his journey towards the United States, in Matehuala, Mexico on Feb. 3.
A police officer takes pictures of migrants as they arrive in the back of a truck to a provisional shelter in Saltillo, Mexico on Feb. 3.
A migrant girl is held by her mother as they wait for transportation in Matehuala, Mexico on Feb. 3.
Migrants wait in line for transportation in Matehuala, Mexico on Feb. 3.
Migrants play soccer in a provisional shelter in Saltillo, Mexico on Feb. 3.
A view of clothes hanged up at one of the shelters prepared by Coahuila's authorities, in Saltillo, Mexico on Feb. 3.
Migrants wait to get a ride during their journey towards the United States, in San Luis Potosi, Mexico on Feb. 2.
Migrants ride in the back of a truck in Los Olivos, Mexico on Feb. 2.
Migrants walks during their journey towards the United States, in Los Olivos, Mexico on Feb. 2.
A migrant woman holds her 18-month-old daughter as they wait for a ride in Queretaro, Mexico on Feb. 1.
Migrants wait in line to catch a ride in Queretaro, Mexico, on Feb. 1.
Migrant Javier Gomez, from Honduras, takes a lift on the back of a truck during his journey towards the United States, on Jan. 31.
Central American migrants, mostly Hondurans, taking part in a caravan heading towards the US are searched as they queue to enter a shelter set up at the Sports City in Mexico City, on Jan. 30.
An asylum seeker from Honduras walks as journalists try to interview him on Jan. 30, in Tijuana, Mexico.
Mexican Navy cooks prepare a meal for Central American migrants settled in a shelter at the Jesus Martinez stadium on Jan. 28, in Mexico City.
A migrant, part of a caravan of thousands from Central America tying to reach the United States, carries his belongings during the closing of the Barretal shelter on Jan. 29, in Tijuana.
A Guatemalan migrant is taken into custody by police on Jan. 28, in Tijuana, Mexico.
A migrant woman plays with her 4 month-old child as she waits for a lift during their journey towards the United States, in Tierra Blanca, Mexico, on Jan. 27.
Migrants ride in the back of a truck in La Tinaja, Mexico, on Jan. 27.
Migrants walk on a highway during their journey toward the United States, in Acayucan, Mexico, on Jan. 25.
Migrants cross the Suchiate River in Hidalgo City, Chiapas, Mexico, on Jan. 25.
Migrants get a lift on a platform trailer in Matias Romero, Mexico, on Jan. 24.
A member of the Mexican Federal Police stands near the U.S. and Mexico border fence at Friendship Park in Tijuana, Mexico, on Jan. 23.
A sign warns people to stay away from a work site where workers are constructing a barrier between the United States and Mexico on Jan. 23, in San Diego.
US Border Patrol agents process people suspected of crossing the Rio Grande River to enter the United States illegally near McAllen, Texas, on Jan. 23.
Border Patrol agents patrol the border between the United States and Mexico on Jan. 23, in San Diego.
Workers construct a barrier between the United States and Mexico on Jan. 23, in San Diego.
US Border Patrol agents medically check a person suspected of crossing the Rio Grande River to enter the United States illegally, by jumping into the river near McAllen, Texas, on Jan. 23.
50/50 SLIDES
Last Monday, a group of nearly 2,000 people arrived on buses in Piedras Negras, Coahuila. The group has overwhelmingly remained in Mexico in the face of a surge of U.S. forces to the border.
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Meanwhile, American, Mexican, and Central American officials are in talks about how to handle this new caravan, one of a few in the past year.
But for personnel already on the ground, sitting and waiting in their cars at the border, it's not clear when the action will start and when the surge of staff will end.
Schmerber said the length of the deployments will depend on whether caravan members try to illegally enter the U.S. or not and that law enforcement does not have any idea when they will be able to go home.
"We don't have a date, number, a month or whatever," he said.
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The city's hardened border contributed to a decline in crossings in the years immediately after fencing was installed in the 1990s. 
Law enforcement responds as a Central American caravan of almost 2,000 people arrives outside the Texas-Mexico border with hopes of crossing into US. 
U.S. border officials don't share Trump's zeal for border wall: lawmakers 
Trucks carrying U.S. humanitarian aid headed to crisis-wracked Venezuela have arrived at the Colombia border on Thursday. Semi-trailers loaded with boxed emergency food and medicine rolled into the town of Cucuta, which is just across the river from Venezuela. 
