The Texas Governor has vowed to build a wall on the border with Mexico. This is due to a surge in illegal migration. Republican Greg Abbott said that he had allocated the amount of $1bn in the state funds. This is solely for upholding border security. As the securing of the border is the federal government’s responsibility, Texas will not sit idly during this crisis.
One of Biden’s first acts in the office was to end the construction of the border wall. In February, the Democrat opted for rolling back the emergency order. This was used to fund former President Donald Trump’s Mexico border wall. It was a key symbol for the agenda of the former president. Also, there would be no further tax dollars spent on it.
It is not clear yet if Mr. Abbott has the authority to order a wall in Texas independently or not.
The Texas Governor told the press conference, “It will help all of us to work on ways to stem the flow of unlawful immigration and to stem the flow of illegal contraband.”
But the plan is more likely to face legal challenges. The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas has called it an attempt to distract from its governing failures. At the same time, it is targeting vulnerable immigrants.
This month the number of undocumented immigrants are reaching to Mexico border has hit its highest levels. US Customs and Border Protection is also saying that it had apprehended 180034 migrants, who are mostly single adults. The majority of them are fleeing poverty and violence in Central American countries, such as Guatemala.
A pandemic emergency rule with Title 42 allows the border agents to turn away the families and single adults. However, it does not apply to any of the unaccompanied children. Thousands of them have crossed the border. They are now staying within the US immigration detention facilities.
Tensions are tending to mount more between Mr. Abbott and Biden. Justice Department officials are threatening to sue Texas. The governor has also ordered the child-care regulators to cancel the license of the centers that shelter immigrant children.
Mr. Biden has promised a more humane approach to the immigration agenda. The Republicans are also blaming Mr. Biden’s policies for this border surge.
Credits: BBC
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