Barbed wire between Texas and Mexico, a clash between the federal government and Governor Abbott
The US Supreme Court ordered the removal of the barriers, but Abbott has the support of the Republican governors of other US states
2' min read
2' min read
Republican governors in the mid United States have backed Texas in the standoff Governor Greg Abbott created with the federal government over illegal immigration, raising concerns about a constitutional crisis.
With the so-called Operation Lone Star, Abbott had some 30 miles (48 km) of barbed wire installed along the border with Mexico in order to block illegal entry into Texas. In December alone, a record 225,000 migrants crossed the border illegally.
On Monday, the Supreme Court ruled against the governor when five out of nine justices ruled that the US Border Patrol, a federal agency, can "cut or remove" barbed wire installed by the Texas National Guard. Despite the ruling that agreed with the Biden administration, Abbott has vowed to add more barbed wire to crack down on what he calls 'an invasion' along a small stretch of the Rio Grande River that has become one of the most illegal crossing points. Abbott's decision, however, would not violate the Supreme Court decision, which merely granted permission for the removal of the existing wire, but made no mention of adding new barriers.
In a statement Wednesday, Abbott said that in the face of "the invasion" Texas is experiencing, the state has a constitutional right to defend itself. The governor added that Biden is violating current immigration laws. "President Biden has violated his oath of office to faithfully enforce immigration laws enacted by Congress," Abbott said. "Instead of prosecuting immigrants for the federal crime of illegal entry, President Biden sent his lawyers into federal courts to sue Texas for taking actions to protect the border." Abbott's statement was quickly condemned by numerous jurists.
25 out of 27 Republican governors support Abbott
.The next day, 25 of the 27 Republican governors issued a joint statement of solidarity with Abbott for "taking a step forward to protect American citizens from historic levels of illegal immigrants, deadly drugs like fentanyl, and terrorists entering our country." The Republican Governors Association said it supported Abbott's methods "in using every tool and strategy, including barbed wire fences, to protect the border." Dozens of other Republican incumbents expressed support, including Louisiana House Speaker Mike Johnson and Texas Senator Ted Cruz.
