House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana, and Texas Governor Greg Abbott, also a Republican, held a meeting on Thursday to address the issue of border security legislation.
In a press release from Governor Abbott’s office on Thursday, it was stated that during their meeting, Governor Abbott expressed to Speaker Johnson his strong belief that the border crisis is both unacceptable and avoidable. He urged the Speaker to take action and pass border security legislation that will effectively address the issue of illegal crossings between ports of entry along the southern border.
The meeting comes after a federal appeals court made a ruling on Tuesday, which further extended the injunction against a Texas immigration law. This law aimed to empower local law enforcement to apprehend individuals suspected of illegally entering the country. The law specifically criminalized crossing into Texas outside designated ports of entry. Violators would face a maximum penalty of six months in jail for the initial offense and up to 20 years for subsequent crossings.
Governor Abbott highlighted the effectiveness of Texas’ border security measures under Operation Lone Star. These measures involved the deployment of numerous Texas National Guard soldiers and Texas Department of Public Safety troopers, the installation of razor wire, and the construction of the Texas border wall.
In addition, the Governor urged Speaker Johnson to lend his support to the state’s continuous efforts in combating President Biden’s assault on Texas’ longstanding border mission and his failure to secure the border.
Abbott recently expressed his skepticism about the potential impact of Biden’s State of the Union address on the damage caused by his border policies. According to Abbott, there is nothing Biden could say to reverse the adverse effects of these policies.
During an interview with Fox News’s “Special Report,” Texas Governor Greg Abbott emphasized that President Biden has the authority to prevent illegal entry into the United States through three existing laws passed by Congress. However, Abbott claims that instead of exercising this authority, the president is actually facilitating and supporting illegal entry.
