Hundreds of Americans across three border states rallied last week and weekend, demanding renewed federal action to address the escalating illegal immigration crisis. These rallies were the culmination of the “Take Our Border Back Convoy,” which began in Virginia and journeyed across the country to Texas, symbolizing a growing unrest among citizens over the nation’s border security.
At the heart of these protests is a deep-seated concern about national security, echoed by rally organizer Scotty Saks in California. “This is a national security crisis,” he declared to an audience of about 200. Saks highlighted the alarming rise in human trafficking at the border, a problem that he believes has reached unprecedented proportions.
The rallies, while prayerful and peaceful, carried a strong message. In Texas, Cornerstone Children’s Ranch in Quemado attendees waved American flags and banners supporting President Donald Trump’s 2024 campaign. Their location, merely 500 feet from the Rio Grande and close to Eagle Pass, a known hotspot for illegal border crossings, underscored the urgency of their message.
People rallied to greet the "Take Our Border Back" Convoy as it entered Brookshire, Texas, on Wednesday. The convoy was formed in response to the crisis of massive illegal immigration overtaking the U.S.-Mexico border. pic.twitter.com/ENDzFLY9Mu
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These gatherings were not just about protests; they were a unifying call for action. The convoy, which swelled to include around 300 vehicles by the time it reached Texas, represented a cross-section of America — farmers, ranchers and retired police officers, as organizer Kim Yeater described. Their message is clear: ordinary citizens are deeply concerned about the immigration crisis.
The concern extends beyond the convoy and rallies. In Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott (R) has been at odds with the Biden administration over border enforcement and jurisdiction. Abbott’s recent expansion of Operation Lone Star, which includes deploying Texas National Guard members and erecting barriers along the Mexico border, signals a state taking matters into its own hands in the face of federal inaction.
Abbott powerfully articulated this sentiment during a news briefing in Shelby Park, “A state can defend itself and its citizens to protect their safety from the imminent danger that we are facing, and from an invasion of millions of people coming from across the globe into our country who are unaccounted for whatsoever,” he said. His words resonate with many who feel the federal government, under the Biden administration, has been negligent or willfully indifferent in addressing the border crisis.
