Immigration takes center stage in Biden administration’s political battles.
Immigration Crisis Takes Center Stage Again
One of the White House’s least favorite topics is set to retake the headlines. Immigration has been a problem for President Joe Biden since day one, with record numbers of illegal border crossings set in both of his first two years in office and one that will take center stage again this week.
GOP Senators Work to Block Biden’s Plans — Literally
“Texas is stepping up to address this crisis,” Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX) tweeted last Friday. “We will continue to deploy every strategy to protect Texans and Americans — and the migrants risking their lives. We will see you in court, Mr. President.”
Abbott was given until 2 p.m. Monday to remove a 1,000-foot floating barrier in the Rio Grande, which separates the United States and Mexico, by the Department of Justice. The agency promised to file legal action after the deadline.
The DOJ claims the barrier violates federal law and also raises humanitarian concerns, according to a letter it sent to Texas on Friday. Abbott not only refused the order to but quickly outlined his disagreements, calling the border situation a “tragic humanitarian crisis” that was ”created because of Biden’s refusal to secure the border.”
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre in turn called Abbott’s moves a “political stunt” that was both inhumane and atrocious.
But that’s just one front of the Biden administration’s pending immigration battles.
The other is that Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas will testify before the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday as some in the GOP openly discuss impeachment.
Mayorkas has defended himself by claiming that Republicans are making “false accusations.”
“I have a very good understanding of who I am and what I am trying to do for our country in leading 260,000 people in the Department of Homeland Security. False accusations do not dent that one bit,” he said in an interview published on Friday.
Last month, House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Mark Green (R-TN) announced the launch of an investigation into Mayorkas’s “dereliction of duty.” Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) has said he’s “pretty darn close” to having enough House votes for impeachment. But the House hearing is sure to create some headlines no matter what.
A few other developments showcase the wide reach of the southern border issue. New York City Mayor Eric Adams is sending out flyers to warn immigrants against relocating to his city, while in Mexico City, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador is encouraging Hispanics to vote against Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) in 2024 over his immigration policies.
Polling indicates that immigration policy is a weakness for Biden. His approval rating on the issue is 34.6%, with 59.2% disapproving, per the RealClearPolitics average.
The federal government is likely in the right legally in the border dispute with Texas, according to NumbersUSA CEO James Massa, though he argues that Abbott’s moves make for good politics.
“Legally, the Constitution and federal law is very clear that it is the responsibility of the president and Congress to protect the nation, including securing the borders,” Massa said. “However, with over 2 million illegal immigrants pouring into the United States every year, clearly that is not being done at the federal level.”
The White House was asked Monday what it will do to remove the river border other than filing lawsuits, and while Jean-Pierre largely dodged the question, she accused Abbott of operating in bad faith.
Abbott claims he has not only the legal but the moral high ground as well, saying that illegal immigration is dangerous for the immigrants themselves and that millions of doses of illegal drugs come across the border in the process.
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But the White House says Abbott’s own actions are dangerous.
“President Biden’s border enforcement plan has led to the lowest levels of unlawful border crossings in over two years,” White House spokesman Abdullah Hasan said. “Gov. Abbott’s dangerous and unlawful actions are undermining that effective plan, making it hard for the men and women of Border Patrol to do their jobs of securing the border and putting migrants and border agents in danger.”
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