EAGLE PASS, Texas (NewsNation) — The U.S./Mexico border hums with activity as it does every day, with helicopters and drones watching for illegal activity and traffic going both ways through the border checkpoints.
There is additional activity now, though, as on both sides of the Rio Grande River, in the water and on the banks, a joint border security training exercise is taking place. On the American side, the Texas National Guard, Border Patrol, state troopers and game wardens are working together. On the Mexican side, law enforcement officers are handling the exercise.
Sgt. Juan Maldonado, with the Texas Department of Public Safety, says this is all about improving response time to prevent migrant drownings and stop illegal crossings. “This cooperation is greatly needed. we need to work together in order to achieve the mission,” he said.
Two weeks ago, international trucking between Texas and Mexico ground to a near-halt when Texas Gov. Greg Abbott ordered that every truck entering the U.S. to be thoroughly searched by state troopers. Ultimately, four Mexican governors came to the table and agreed to commit to greater border security on their side in exchange for loosened restrictions.
Texas DPS told NewsNation reporter Robert Sherman that the joint training in the state of Coahuila is a result of those negotiations.
On Capitol Hill, little cooperation is to be found, as Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas’ testimony has led to more finger pointing than solutions with the two parties at odds over border priorities.