Texas lawmakers have reacted to the rush of unlawful migrants into El Paso on Sunday.
At least 1,000 unlawful migrants, mostly from Venezuela, flooded the Paso Del Norte bridge that connects El Paso to Mexico. They were reacting to an alleged rumor that migrants would be permitted to enter the United States in celebration of a supposed “day of the migrant.”
The surge of migrants was reportedly halted by border patrol efforts.
Several Texas legislators have shared their thoughts on this incident, including Rep. August Pfluger (R), who criticized President Joe Biden for not taking more action.
“In what world do 1,000 foreign nationals rushing the sovereign border not catch the eye of the President of the United States as a national security threat?” Pfluger asked in a statement to Fox News. “Republicans are pleading with Biden and [Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro] Mayorkas to work with us to secure the border.”
For his part, Rep. Troy Nehls (R) told Fox News, “How can anyone watch those videos without thinking there’s a full-blown invasion at our southern border? I didn’t see many families storming the border. I saw military-aged males trying to cross into the United States illegally.”
Nehls added, “With a complete disregard for our laws, what makes anyone think they’ll follow the law once they’re here in America?”
Senator Ted Cruz (R) tweeted, “Mad rushes like this will continue to happen so long as illegal aliens think the American president doesn’t give a damn about law and order.”
“President Biden’s weak border policies have created chaos for over two years,” Cruz added. “Illegal aliens are rushing our border because they know there won’t be repercussions.”
Some Democratic lawmakers have shared their own thought on the incident. While agreeing with their colleagues that a serious problem exists, they continue to oppose the Republican approach to the crisis.
“As the reports of the chaotic events at our ports unfolded, I have remained in contact with local [U.S. Customs and Border Patrol] leadership,” tweeted Rep. Veronica Escobar. “Those of us who live and work on the border understand how broken our immigration system is.”
“It is illogical to deal with immigration only at the border as my Republican colleagues want to continue to do,” she added.