President Donald Trump, in a decisive show of support for Texas and Gov. Greg Abbott (R) as the state stands to protect its citizens and property, has condemned the Biden administration’s lax handling of border security. Trump, aligning with a surging chorus of Republican state and federal leaders, vows to work “hand in hand” with border states to halt what he terms an “invasion” of illegal immigrants resulting from Biden’s open borders policies contrary to federal law.
“Joe Biden has surrendered our Border, and is aiding and abetting a massive Invasion of millions of Illegal Migrants into the United States,” Trump said on Thursday, criticizing Biden’s efforts to undermine Abbott’s work to address the ongoing illegal migrant invasion. He promised in a statement to collaborate with the governor and other border states to “Stop the Invasion, Seal the Border, and Rapidly Begin the Largest Domestic Deportation Operation in History.”
Trump backs Abbott, urges states to provide Texas 'full support' to secure southern border | Just The News https://t.co/gNR1pjbbYv
— John Solomon (@jsolomonReports) January 25, 2024
Meanwhile, twenty-five Republican governors have expressed solidarity with Abbott this week, adding to the mounting criticism of the Biden administration for its failure to enforce immigration laws and for allowing mass illegal migration. The group stands united to affirm Texas’ constitutional right to defend its sovereignty against the unchecked influx of migrants, which Gov. Abbott has formally declared to be an invasion under the terms of Article I of the Constitution.
The situation at the southern border under Biden starkly contrasts with Trump’s tenure. During Trump’s presidency, illegal alien apprehensions were significantly lower, averaging around 500,000 annually, except for Fiscal Year 2019. In contrast, under Biden’s Department of Homeland Security, apprehensions have soared to over 5 million.
Attorney General @KenPaxtonTX reacts to all the governors coming out in support of Texas:
“Hopefully it actually wakes the Supreme Court up, wakes Congress up, to actually act or maybe change because up until now the Supreme Court has never had any pushback from Republican… pic.twitter.com/Y3hBTuzKE3
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) January 25, 2024
Abbott’s stand has galvanized multiple states into action. States such as Florida, Arkansas, North Dakota, and Virginia have pledged National Guard troops and law enforcement officers to assist Texas.
On the federal level, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) announced on Thursday that he supports Texas’ constitutional power to protect itself in the face of the federal government’s indifference to its obligation to protect all states from invasion.
Joe Biden’s Justice Department has threatened immediate legal action against Texas for its new law allowing the arrest, jail, prosecution, and deportation of illegal migrants. The recent court battle over the razor wire installed on state property by Texas law enforcement officials comes in addition to the conflict over Texas’ construction of a floating barrier in the Rio Grande, which federal courts have ordered Abbott to remove.
This unified Republican front represents a significant challenge to the Biden administration. The GOP’s emphasis on state sovereignty and legal justification for border security measures sharply contrasts the federal government’s approach. While Democrats call for a stricter stance against Texas, the GOP governors and Trump advocate for robust border control and adherence to immigration laws.
There is little precedent for this tense standoff between state and federal officials, and the nation waits anxiously for the situation to develop further.
