Kinney County, Texas, along with many other American border communities, has experienced a surge in criminal prosecutions due to the increase in illegal immigration during President Joe Biden’s administration. According to Kinney County Attorney Brent Smith, the number of criminal charges for prosecution in the county rose significantly from 134 in 2020 under former President Donald Trump to nearly 3,000 in 2021, approximately 6,800 in 2022, and over 5,800 in 2023.
Smith attributed this drastic increase in criminal charges to President Biden’s executive orders, which revoked various border security policies. The rise in prosecutions has put a strain on the county’s criminal justice system, leading to an additional $10.5 million burden on Texas taxpayers. This has also had adverse effects on public services like schools, first responders, and law enforcement agencies, with instances of residents not receiving emergency medical services due to resources being allocated to migrant crossings.
Smith highlighted two tragic incidents where residents in need of emergency medical services died because paramedics were busy responding to migrant smuggling events. This, according to Smith, is a stark example of how open border policies can have deadly consequences for Americans. Despite Kinney County’s small population of fewer than 3,200 residents, the Del Rio Sector, where the county is located, has witnessed nearly 200,000 migrants crossing the region from October 2023 to March of the following year.
The situation in Kinney County underscores the challenges and impacts that record levels of illegal immigration can have on local communities.
