FEMA denies Gov. Greg Abbott's request for emergency declaration over border crisis

DALLAS - FEMA denied Gov. Greg Abbott’s request for an emergency declaration on the border.

News broke of the denial as a state committee overseeing border security efforts examined the cost of the crisis and efforts to prevent another.

The mayor for Del Rio, Texas, is warning another large group may be on its way for another mass crossing attempt.

There was frustration from Republicans, Democrats and law enforcement officials at the hearing that the federal government isn’t doing more. 

The anger wasn’t just directed at the administration but at Congress for not tackling this over the last few decades.            

The images of migrants crossing a shallow part of the Rio Grande are fading. That massive surge in Del Rio slowed, but illegal border crossings are still happening.

At a joint Texas House committee meeting, lawmakers spent time focused on preventing a surge like that in Del Rio again.

Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steve McCraw says migrants told them why they crossed there in Del Rio.

"Because the cartels are less harsh in that area, meaning they can cross with having to pay less of a tax and less consequences in terms of the brutality they would have to endure," he said.

There are also concerns about future surges that could create a humanitarian crisis.

 Another caravan as large as 20,000 people reportedly just entered southern Mexico and is heading north.

"We have to have visibility on caravans moving north, period," McCraw said. "And the direction, the size, the strength and the speed."

Lawmakers are also overseeing the effectiveness of Operation Lone Star. Gov. Abbott launched the mission in March using Texas National Guard along with DPS to bolster border security.

The state also recently allocated nearly $2 billion to help with border security. And the Texas National Guard is asking for more money to move from 2,500 to 5,000 and personnel on the border.

"I’m just saying if I had more resources, more soldiers would come, and we would put more on the border," said Texas National Guard Major General Tracy Norris.

Also testifying was the mayor of Del Rio, Democrat Bruno Lozano. He says he tried to warn federal officials in February.

"I started telling them we need infrastructure, we need tents, we need processing centers, we need food, we need shelter," he said. "I kept sounding the alarm that something big was going to happen to no avail."

Lozano is now concerned the federal resources built up to respond to this month’s surge and going away and what happened could happen again.

"Every single thing that was built up is gone, and we have information right now that there are another 20,000-50,000 individuals in Mexico right now looking for a place to cross," Lozano said "Del Rio is a success story for them. Del Rio looks like a point of entrance again."

FEMA apparently determined the request for funding normally used to support states for natural disasters did not meet the requirements.

Gov. Abbott says he plans to appeal FEMA’s denial.