During an interview with CBS News on Thursday, Border Patrol Chief Jason Owens responded to a question on the Texas border law by stating that the Border Patrol works very well with the Texas Department of Public Safety, the law won’t stop Border Patrol from doing its job, and he thinks Border Patrol will continue to work well with the Texas Department of Public Safety.
CBS News Immigration and Politics Reporter Camilo Montoya-Galvez asked, “The State of Texas right now is asking federal courts to allow it to enforce a law known as S.B. 4 — I’m sure you’re familiar with it — which would allow the state to arrest migrants on criminal charges and to order them to go back to Mexico. Would that law make the situation worse or better?”
Owens answered, “So, we’ll have to see what the courts decide. … I will tell you, it’s not going to stop us from doing our job. I’ll tell you that, especially in Texas, there’s no better partner for the Border Patrol than the Texas Department of Public Safety. We have worked hand-in-hand with that agency for as long as I’ve been around, and I don’t see that ever stopping. They have always been very good at complementing our mission. They back us up when we’re out in the field and we do for them as well. So, whatever the laws are that they’re going to be enforcing, our mission remains constant, their mission remains constant. And, at the ground level, I don’t see it ever changing where we’re going to be there to work together to make sure that we keep the communities and our country safe.”
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