HOUSTON — Gov. Greg Abbott is expected to hold a news conference on the Texas-Mexico border Friday afternoon.
This comes during ongoing battles between the state and the federal government on the handling of the migrant crisis.
The Biden administration has requested billions of dollars for border security. There’s a risk that thousands of detained migrants could be released if federal agencies don’t get their money.
According to CBS News, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is considering releasing thousands from custody if it doesn’t get additional funding.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security may need to pull money from other agencies to cover expenses.
Money and policy are at play on the border.
This week, a federal judge heard arguments over Texas Senate Bill 4 which would allow local law enforcement agencies to arrest people they suspect entering the state illegally.
Migrant advocacy groups said this law undermines federal policy.
“This is not just a border issue, the way the law is written it’s not limited to the border and it has impacts throughout the state, so we should be concerned because it's not just migrants, it's all of us,” Jennifer Canales-Pelaez, with the Immigrant Legal Resource Center, said.
The American Civil Liberties Union is suing the state over SB 4 and is asking a judge to issue a preliminary injunction.
The judge is expected to give that ruling as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, it’s unclear when federal lawmakers will strike a deal on their border security bill.
The governor hasn’t shared the details of what he’ll discuss at his press conference this afternoon, but KHOU 11 News will keep you posted when we learn more.