House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) convened on Thursday to deliberate on border security legislation.
In a press release from Governor Abbott’s office, it was stated that during the meeting, Governor Abbott expressed to Speaker Johnson his concern regarding the border crisis, emphasizing that it is both unacceptable and avoidable. Governor Abbott urged the Speaker to take action by passing border security legislation that will effectively address the issue of illegal crossings between ports of entry along the southern border.
The meeting comes in the wake of a recent ruling from a federal appeals court on Tuesday. The court extended the block on a Texas immigration law that aimed to empower local law enforcement to detain individuals suspected of entering the country unlawfully. This law sought to criminalize the act of crossing into Texas outside of designated entry points, carrying potential penalties of up to six months in jail for initial offenses and a maximum of 20 years for subsequent crossings.
In his statement, Governor Abbott highlighted the effectiveness of Texas’ extensive border security initiatives under Operation Lone Star. He emphasized the deployment of numerous Texas National Guard soldiers and Texas Department of Public Safety troopers, the implementation 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 ongoing efforts in combating President Biden’s assault on Texas’ crucial border mission and his failure to secure the border.
Abbott recently expressed his belief that regardless of what Biden may say in his State of the Union address, the detrimental impact caused by his border policies cannot be reversed.
According to Governor Abbott, President Biden has failed to enforce three existing laws that grant him the authority to prevent illegal entry into the country. During an interview on Fox News’s “Special Report” with Bret Baier, Abbott stated, “The fact of the matter is, when Biden became president, and today, there are three laws passed by Congress already, that empower the president to deny illegal entry, which he’s not doing, he’s aiding [and] abetting illegal entry.”
