Republican Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed an executive order Wednesday allowing Texas Department of Public Safety officers–which includes Texas State Police–to stop any vehicle they suspect having migrants who “pose a risk of carrying COVID-19.”
The officers are empowered “to reroute such a vehicle back to its point of origin or a port of entry if a violation is confirmed.” No confirmation of infection is required, nor is the basis for pulling over a vehicle that may or may not have migrants in it. The order does not specify the difference between legal or undocumented migrants or legal resident aliens.
Apparently, Abbott believes his DPS officers not only have X-ray vision to identify groups of migrants in vehicles, but also a new superhero skill of doing an instant viral analysis to identify people at risk of having COVID-19.