The Republican governors of 25 states have released a joint statement proclaiming their support for Texas Governor Greg Abbott and the steps his state has taken at its border with Mexico to prevent illegal immigrant crossings.
The Supreme Court ruled 5-4 in favor of the Biden administration this week to allow Border Patrol agents to cut through or move razor wire Texas installed on its border with Mexico to prevent illegal entries into the U.S.
GOP-led states across the country have a clear message to @POTUS.
Enough is enough! pic.twitter.com/EXC59ch3x6
— The RGA (@GOPGovs) January 25, 2024
Despite the Supreme Court’s ruling, Abbott released a statement on Wednesday arguing President Joe Biden has “refused to enforce” current federal laws protecting states, noting his state will continue to carry out its “constitutional authority to defend and protect itself.”
“That authority is the supreme law of the land and supersedes any federal statutes to the contrary,” Abbott added. “The Texas National Guard, the Texas Department of Public Safety, and other Texas personnel are acting on that authority, as well as state law, to secure the Texas border.”
The group of GOP governors said its supports Texas’ “constitutional right to self-defense,” adding, “The authors of the U.S. Constitution made clear that in times like this, states have a right of self-defense, under Article 4, Section 4 and Article 1, Section 10, Clause 3 of the U.S. Constitution. Because the Biden Administration has abdicated its constitutional compact duties to the states, Texas has every legal justification to protect the sovereignty of our states and our nation.”
“President Biden and his Administration have left Americans and our country completely vulnerable to unprecedented illegal immigration pouring across the Southern border,” the governors added. “Instead of upholding the rule of law and securing the border, the Biden Administration has attacked and sued Texas for stepping up to protect American citizens from historic levels of illegal immigrants, deadly drugs like fentanyl, and terrorists entering our country.”
The governors said they “stand in solidarity with our fellow Governor, Greg Abbott, and the State of Texas in utilizing every tool and strategy, including razor wire fences, to secure the border.”
“We do it in part because the Biden Administration is refusing to enforce immigration laws already on the books and is illegally allowing mass parole across America of migrants who entered our country illegally,” the governors added.
The governors of Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming joined the statement.
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Kaitlin on X / Twitter.
Photo “Texas Border Wall” by Office of the Governor Greg Abbott.
