McALLEN, Texas (Border Report) — A vehicle convoy that is opposed to illegal immigration is crossing the country and making its way to the South Texas border where it plans to hold a rally this weekend, along with concurrent rallies on the West Coast and in Arizona.
Dozens of cars and semi trucks joined the caravan on Tuesday, which was Day 2 of the movement protesting what organizers say is an “open border.”
The group invites “active and retired law enforcement and military, veterans, Mama Bears, elected officials, business owners, ranchers, truckers, bikers, media, and law-abiding, freedom-loving Americans.”
The multi-day caravan left Roanoke, Virginia, on Monday and overnighted in Jacksonville, Florida.
It was expected to arrive near Baton Rouge, Louisiana, around 7 p.m. CT on Tuesday evening.
Participants are scheduled to head out Wednesday morning for Dripping Springs, Texas, on the outskirts of Austin.
A rally is planned for Thursday evening in Dripping Springs, according to the group’s website.
On Thursday some will journey to Eagle Pass, Texas, while others will drive to Yuma, Arizona.
Concurrent rallies are scheduled for Saturday in Yuma, San Ysidro, California, and near Eagle Pass, Texas.
“We the people are uniting to peacefully use our voices in unison to take our border back!” the organization’s website says. “Join your family, friends, neighbors and fellow Americans from the East and the West coasts for a multi-day convoy.”
Saturday’s rally in Eagle Pass actually will be held about 20 miles north of the border town in a tiny community called Quemado in Maverick County, about midway between Eagle Pass and Del Rio, Texas. But its location was chosen as the State of Texas is embroiled in a battle with federal officials over securing the border in the area.
Texas Department of Public Safety officers guard an entrance to Shelby Park on Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024, in Eagle Pass, Texas. The Justice Department on Friday, Jan. 12, asked the Supreme Court to order Texas to stop blocking Border Patrol agents from a portion of the U.S.-Mexico border where large numbers of migrants have crossed in recent months, setting up another showdown between Republican Gov. Greg Abbott and the Biden administration over immigration enforcement. (Sam Owens
/The San Antonio Express-News via AP)
In January, state law enforcement erected a fence and cut off access to U.S. Border Patrol to the city’s only public boat ramp as well as a riverfront park. Tensions escalated when a woman and her two children drowned in the river near the park where Border Patrol could not access them.
Eagle Pass is a small border community of 28,000 with limited hotel capacity that is already saturated by Texas DPS troopers and Texas National Guard troops that are stationed in the area as part of the state’s Operation Lone Star border security initiative.
Community members say they aren’t happy with the planned visitors, which once again put the nation’s spotlight on this community.
“I think they should be scared about all of these people coming and where they’re going to stay,” Amerika Garcia Grewal, founder of the Eagle Pass Border Vigil Coalition told Border Report on Tuesday. “You need proper water and sanitation and hygiene and it looks like they’re going to be on unimproved land.”
“It’s one more thing. We’ve had the invasion from the North, from the state of Texas. We’ve had all the waves of rhetoric hanging over our heads from the federal government, from the Border Patrol and from the Department of Public Safety and the Texas Military Department, the Texas National Guard. So we have all that here and this is one more group that is saying more stuff. And if people want to support us they should ask us — the people of Eagle Pass — what we want,” she said.
Organizers have issued rules for caravan participants to follow, including low headlight beams and following all laws.
“The entire convoy must remain respectful,” according to the post on X. “Should ‘bad actors’ try to create a problem then do your best to not engage them!! Should you find yourself in a life threatening situation because of such people then by all means DEFEND yourself in accordance with state law!!”
Organizers say the convoy will “have a heavy law enforcement presence,” including undercover units.
“This convoy is set forth to bring glory to God and unite WE THE PEOPLE,” they said.
Border Report plans to meet the caravan outside Austin and follow them to Eagle Pass.
Check back for a live blog of their activities.
Sandra Sanchez can be reached at SSanchez@Borderreport.com.
Read: Read More