Gov. Greg Abbott has criticized President Joe Biden’s executive action to manage the number of illegal crossings along the southern border, calling it just a ploy to appease voters.
These changes include the ability to suspend asylum claims when the average number of illegal crossings reaches more than 2,500 a day for a seven-day period. This was reportedly the case just last week, according to Politico.
Abbott took a shot at the president’s move, writing in a statement that it is “nothing but a smokescreen for President Biden’s failed open border policies.”
“This executive order will do nothing but further an invasion into our country, inviting thousands of unvetted illegal immigrants to cross the border every single day — the exact opposite of shutting down the border,” wrote the governor.
“Since his first day in office, President Biden dismantled all of his predecessor’s successful border policies, encouraging millions of illegal immigrants — including dangerous criminals and terrorists — into our country. For three years, the President has lied about the existence of the border crisis, deflected blame to Congress, and now contradicts himself by issuing a feckless executive order months before Election Day.”
Abbott’s opinions are similar to those expressed by many other Republican elected officials. Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) said in a statement that the move was necessary because “Biden is in trouble politically.”
“He’s polling right up there with fungal infections. Part of the reason for that is that he gave in to the loon wing of his party, and he dissolved the southern border. Now — five months before an election — he has to appear to be willing to do something about it. Hence, this executive order,” he said.
Concerns about Biden’s move have also been presented by elected Democratic officials.
“Biden has undermined American values and abandoned our nation’s obligations to provide people fleeing persecution, violence, and authoritarianism with an opportunity to seek refuge in the U.S.,” Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA) claimed in a statement.
“This asylum ban will fail to address the challenges at our border, just as it did under the Trump Administration. It will lead to people with legitimate asylum claims being prevented from seeking safety and returned to harm.”
Abbott’s critical take on the president’s executive action comes as the country continues to deal with a massive influx of illegal aliens into the country. U.S. Customs and Border Protection has reported more than 8.1 million encounters along the southern border since Biden took office in 2021.
Despite the situation along the border, Abbott has attempted to manage the high number of illegal crossings through multiple pieces of action, including a new “Forward Operating Base” in Eagle Pass.
This base is expected to provide housing and various other services for members of the Texas National Guard who are actively patrolling the border, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
