Shelby Park Gates Abandoned, Texas National Guard Retreats to AC Tents

06 Apr

06Apr

Shelby Park, Eagle Pass as seen from the International Bridge. On the left, rows and rows of concertina wire line the dying vegetation along the river. Steel containers with soldiers standing guard are next to a dirt road. A fenced in compound with large air conditioned tents is in the center. In the far right top corner men can be seen installing the fence perimeter of the new compound within the Shelby Park floodplain.

Texas Withdraws National Guard from Gates of Shelby Park, Millions in Damage Remain
SUNDAY 6 APRIL 2025, EAGLE PASS, TX — The State of Texas today withdrew its National Guard forces from the gates of Shelby Park, retreating to a fenced-in enclave between the parking lot and International Bridge I. Their abandonment of the gates of their controversial January 2024 militarization campaign leaves behind a scarred landscape of destruction. While their retreat from the gates is a welcome move, the state continues to recklessly occupy public land, and Eagle Pass residents are left grappling with a ravaged park, severed access to the Rio Grande, and a costly path to restoration.

A Legacy of Destruction

What was once a vibrant community hub for ball games, family fishing trips, and riverside gatherings now lies in ruins. Millions of dollars in damage—including destroyed irrigation systems, littered military debris, and fields torn apart by heavy machinery—render the park unusable. Miles of rusting concertina wire and shipping containers, still guarded by armed soldiers, block access to the riverfront, robbing residents of their right to enjoy public spaces.

Operation Lone Star’s Failed Experiment

The withdrawal from the gates follows months of protests and legal battles over Governor Greg Abbott’s Operation Lone Star, which transformed Shelby Park into a militarized staging ground. The park’s boat ramp, critical for local recreation and emergency services, remains barricaded. Grassroots advocates argue the operation achieved nothing beyond alienating border communities and wasting taxpayer dollars.

“The state turned our park into a war zone, then retreated into their air conditioned tents on the flood plain and pretended everything was normal,” said Amerika Garcia Grewal, Co-Director of the Frontera Federation. “Our children’s fields are now hard as rock. Families can’t fish or picnic. This is not ‘security’—it’s an assault on our way of life.”

Demanding Accountability and Reinvestment

Local leaders and advocacy groups are demanding immediate action:

-Full Restoration Funding: Texas must allocate millions to repair Shelby Park’s infrastructure and remove militarized barriers.
-Riverfront Access: Reopen the boat ramp and dismantle concertina wire blocking the Rio Grande.
-Community Reparations: Compensate Eagle Pass for lost tourism revenue and loss of community resources.

ABOUT THE FRONTERA FEDERATION: Anchored at the US-Mexico border, we empower communities for justice and health equity through organizing, advocacy, and community-driven support, addressing migration and policing at the US-Mexico border and beyond.