On Thursday, former President Donald Trump joined a growing cohort of Republican leaders expressing solidarity with the state of Texas in its intensifying conflict with the Biden administration over securing the southern border.
“Joe Biden has surrendered our Border, and is aiding and abetting a massive Invasion of millions of Illegal Migrants into the United States,” asserted Trump. “Instead of fighting to protect our Country from this onslaught, Biden is, unbelievably, fighting to tie the hands of Governor Abbott and the State of Texas, so that the Invasion continues unchecked. In the face of this National Security, Public Safety, and Public Health Catastrophe, Texas has rightly invoked the Invasion Clause of the Constitution, and must be given full support to repel the Invasion.”
“We encourage all willing States to deploy their guards to Texas to prevent the entry of Illegals, and to remove them back across the Border,” he continued. “All Americans should support the commonsense measures by Texas authorities to protect the Safety, Security, and Sovereignty of Texas, and of the American people. When I am President, on Day One, instead of fighting Texas, I will work hand in hand with Governor Abbott and other Border States to Stop the Invasion, Seal the Border, and Rapidly Begin the Largest Domestic Deportation Operation in History. Those Biden has let in should not get comfortable because they will be going home.”
Under Trump’s administration, the border was more secure than it has been under President Joe Biden, with Border Patrol averaging around 500,000 illegal alien apprehensions most years, except for Fiscal Year 2019 when over 850,000 were apprehended. So far, the Biden Department of Homeland Security has made over 5 million apprehensions.
Abbott’s standoff with the Biden administration has garnered support from numerous GOP governors. Earlier in the day, 25 Republican governors declared their solidarity with Abbott and Texas.
Several Republican states have been sending national guard soldiers and law enforcement officers to Texas for years to aid in its efforts. Examples include Florida Governor Ron DeSantis sending state law enforcement officers to Texas in 2021 and former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson deploying national guard troops the same year. Florida has since sent significantly more resources to Texas. Other governors, such as North Dakota’s Doug Burgum and Virginia’s Glenn Youngkin, also pledged last year to send national guard soldiers to Texas. In total, over a dozen Republican states have dispatched national guard troops to assist with the border crisis under Biden.
Thomas Cooper