The situation is extremely serious on the Mexican border, where some 300,000 migrants entered the United States in the month of December alone.
The Supreme Court ruled last week against Texas Governor Greg Abbott for laying miles of barbed wire along the border with Mexico. The highest court in the United States accepts the Biden administration’s plan to remove barbed wire.
But Abbott is defying the court and has vowed to add more barbed wire to quell what he calls “an invasion.”
Abbott ordered soldiers from the Texas National Guard, of which he is commander in chief, to block border access to migrants and prevent federal agents from carrying out tasks.
Divided like in the time of the civil war
25 Republican governors – the United States has 50 states – issued a joint statement of solidarity with Abbott for “stepping up efforts to protect American citizens from historic levels of illegal immigrants, deadly drugs like fentanyl and terrorists entering in our country”.
The situation on the border between the United States and Mexico is untenable. Illegal crossings have reached a record high, with more than 2.4 million asylum seekers expected during 2023.
The White House released a statement pledging to close the border if lawmakers agree to its request for emergency funding.
The Republican Party, at the instigation of Donald Trump, is delaying voting on a supplemental budget, thus hindering the Biden administration’s ability to remedy the situation.
Trump doesn’t want Biden to succeed. This could harm him in the presidential campaign. Immigration is at the heart of his program. He wants the crisis on the Mexican border to last and even get worse between now and the November election.
In a move that shows how desperate he is, Biden said he was willing to accept refugee rules proposed by Republicans but opposed by some Democrats. These rules would make it possible to push back certain migrants more quickly.
The Biden administration is also working with Mexican authorities to try to dismantle criminal gangs that bring migrants from around the world through Mexico to the U.S. border. Some even arrive at the Canadian border in Quebec.
Current long delays in processing applications allow many migrants to enter the United States – often for months or even years – before they can appear before a judge.
Trump already president for the Republicans
Trump’s interference in ongoing congressional immigration negotiations was exposed last week when Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said Trump was going to make the situation at the Mexican border the one of the key subjects of his campaign. McConnell urged Republicans to oppose the deal so immigration remains an issue for Biden. Immigration and his unconditional support for Israel are Biden’s most significant political vulnerabilities.
One of the few anti-Trump Republicans, Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah, called Trump’s directive to oppose any immigration deal to help his presidential campaign “appalling.”
Trump said on his Truth Social network: “What we’re working on now in the Senate will make no sense in terms of security and closing the borders.” Adding that the “ONLY HOPE” for a secure border was to vote for him.