Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is pushing back and adding more razor wire to the border fence after Monday's Supreme Court ruling that the border patrol can remove the wire along the southern border.
So far, the border patrol in the borderland has not cut down any of the razor wire.
In the meantime, Abbott says he won’t back down despite the Supreme Court’s ruling, and for now, plans to continue to secure the border however he wants to.
“What Governor Abbott is doing is not just unconstitutional, and it’s not just harmful to very vulnerable people, but it is impairing the border patrol's ability to do their job, and it’s the border patrol that is trained and equipped to address migration,” said Congresswoman Veronica Escobar.
Speaking in El Paso Monday, Escobar said she believes Abbott is out of line for adding more razor wire just a day after the Supreme Court issued the ruling.
Abbott saying, “The Texas National Guard continues to hold the line.”
Texas law enforcement in Eagle Pass was also seen putting up more wire on Tuesday.
“There is nothing in the constitution that would allow a state to take on a federal role in the way Greg Abbott has,” said Escobar.
Escobar said that Abbott is abusing his power adding that she hopes there could be a different solution to this matter.
“I would love for Governor Abbott and the state legislature to be partners with all of us in this effort. I would like for them to put pressure on members of Congress to take action,” said Escobar.
Fernando Garcia, executive director of the Border Network for Human Rights echoed the sentiment, saying in a statement, “We welcome the justices’ order to remove the dangerous razor wire Gov. Abbott has unconstitutionally deployed under Operation Lone Star. This decision does not only reassure our longstanding argument that immigration enforcement belongs solely to the federal government but is also a key step to prevent more unnecessary injuries, deaths, and civil rights violations towards asylum seekers."
While Escobar and other democrats push back at the governor, Republicans, like Texas Senator John Cornyn, side with Abbott blaming the Biden administration for the ongoing migrant crisis.
“This administration's refusal to take its responsibility for this crisis is pathetic,” said U.S. Senator John Cornyn.
Even though the Supreme Court said the border patrol can take down the wire, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Chief told CNN on Tuesday, there aren’t any plans yet to start on that process.
A U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals will hear arguments about the razor wire case on Feb. 7.
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