Twenty-four governors from the Republican party have heeded the request made by Texas Governor Greg Abbott to offer assistance in securing the border with Mexico.
“The federal government’s response handling the expiration of Title 42 has represented a complete failure of the Biden Administration,” in a collective statement, the governors made reference to the expiration of Title 42, a public health authority, which came to an end at midnight on May 11.
Following the termination of Title 42, which facilitated the swift removal of foreign individuals who had unlawfully entered the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic, border officials have reported that approximately 150,000 foreign nationals from various countries are presently waiting in Mexico, ready to illicitly cross into the U.S. This development occurs after the apprehension or evasion of over 7 million individuals since President Joe Biden assumed office.
According to administration officials, the Biden administration has recently deployed 1,500 military personnel to the border, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has dispatched several thousand federal employees to aid Border Patrol agents in accelerating the processing of foreign nationals into the United States. The intention behind these actions, as explained by officials, is not to impede their entry but rather to facilitate the process.
I thank my fellow Governors for their support as Texas responds to Biden's border crisis.
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) May 17, 2023
Idaho & Florida have answered our call.
Look forward to other Governors joining our effort to provide the security Biden has failed to deliver for Americans.https://t.co/SDY7x8utaP
Despite these measures, President Biden and DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas maintain their stance that the border is closed. In recent days, significant groups consisting of tens of thousands of foreign nationals have arrived in the Rio Grande Valley and other regions of Texas, which has placed an overwhelming burden on Border Patrol agents, according to officials. As a response, Governor Abbott has already deployed over 10,000 Texas National Guard troops to the border, while border communities continue to declare emergencies.
Shortly after Governor Abbott made his request for assistance on Tuesday afternoon, the governors of Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, New Hampshire, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming promptly pledged their support. Additionally, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced the deployment of troops and resources within the next 24 hours.
The Republican governors, in response to the arguments made by former ICE chief and former CBP chief, assert that the policies of the Biden administration pose the most significant national security threat since the events of 9/11. They argue that the issue at hand extends beyond immigration and encompasses concerns regarding national security, crime, and terrorism. They highlight that during the current fiscal year, at least 125 known or suspected terrorists have been apprehended while illegally attempting to enter the southern border.
Earlier, in September 2021, a group of 26 Republican governors, led by Abbott and former Arizona governor Doug Ducey, sent a letter to President Biden, requesting a meeting to address the border crisis. However, they claim that the President did not respond to their letter.
In October 2021, the Republican governors proposed ten policy solutions for the President to promptly implement in order to secure the border. Regrettably, these suggestions were also reportedly ignored by President Biden.
In the past, Republican governors have responded to requests from Governor Abbott and former Governor Ducey by deploying personnel and resources to Arizona and Texas. These deployments were made possible through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC), which enables participating states to offer assistance to those in need during times of emergency. Once again, the Republican governors plan to send support through EMAC, as they consider the border crisis to be an emergency situation. The EMAC process not only facilitates the provision of resources and personnel but also ensures that those deployed are eligible for reimbursement by FEMA.
