Republican Texas Gov Greg Abbott welcomed 13 other Republican governors to the state over the weekend in order to send the Biden administration a message that they will work together to protect the border there since the White House will not.
The meeting of the governors began Saturday and ended with each of them vowing to defy the federal government’s open-border immigration policies.
The 14 governors were each present for a news conference hosted by Abbott in Eagle Pass, Texas, which has seen a flood of countless illegal immigrants cross over since President Joe Biden took office.
Last month, the White House sued Texas in court in order to compel state officials to remove razor wire and other physical barriers along the state’s border with Mexico.
The U.S. Supreme Court — in a 5-4 ruling — overturned an injunction that kept federal authorities from removing the razor wire until a decision was reached in court.
None has even been taken down yet while Texas state agencies have continued to add more of it.
Since Texas gained control of the park in Eagle Pass, illegal crossing have decreased from thousands a day to just 3 a day.
Now, we are expanding that effort to control more land along Mexican Border.
This can & should be easily done by Biden.https://t.co/Slul9puQMY
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) February 5, 2024
In his joint presser with the other governors on Sunday, Abbott declared that each will align for the common goal of defending Americans from the ongoing invasion.
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“We are here to send a loud and clear message, that we are banding together to fight to ensure that we will be able to maintain our constitutional guarantee, that states will be able to defend against any type of imminent danger or invasion,” Abbott said, the AFP reported.
Abbott also said Biden had “abdicated and abandoned his responsibilities” to American citizens.
JUST IN – Texas Governor Greg Abbott joined by 13 other governors in a press conference over border invasion pic.twitter.com/wB4EzZaZAO
— Insider Paper (@TheInsiderPaper) February 4, 2024
Among the governors present was Republican Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen who said that he was shocked to see the ongoing border invasion in person, KOLN reported.
“You have to be down here to comprehend what an extraordinary humanitarian crisis this is,” Pillen stated.
“The people aren’t hanging out at Eagle Pass — Eagle Pass is a past through to get moving,” he added. “The cartels are totally controlling it, and they have a sophisticated network where they are making money across the United States, and we’d be naive to believe none of that comes to Nebraska.”
Republican Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp was also among those who made the trek to south Texas this weekend.
On his X account, Kemp explained he had just received a comprehensive briefing on the emergency at the border.
“There’s 14 governors here today, standing with Texas,” Kemp declared.
Proud to be in Texas today with fellow governors to support @GregAbbott_TX and hear from state officials about their vital work to secure our southern border! pic.twitter.com/TeeX0ektjd
— Brian Kemp (@BrianKempGA) February 4, 2024
In a separate post, Kemp vowed to let those who are unaware know that Biden has “failed to secure the border.”
Kemp added, “It’s made the country less secure. It’s made states and governors like me have to deal with fentanyl and human trafficking.”
Joe Biden refuses to secure our border and it’s making our country less safe.
If he won’t act, @GOPGovs will. pic.twitter.com/HcYbXfNfdf
— Brian Kemp (@BrianKempGA) February 4, 2024
The governor called on Biden to “act” and said if the president does not, he and other governors will.
Aside from Abbott, Kemp and Pillen, governors who were present in Texas over the weekend were Sarah Huckabee Sanders of Arkansas; Brad Little of Idaho; Eric Holcomb of Indiana; Kim Reynolds of Iowa; Jeff Landry of Louisiana; Tate Reeves of Mississippi; Mike Parson of Missouri; Greg Gianforte of Montana; Chris Sununu of New Hampshire; Bill Lee of Tennessee; and Spencer Cox of Utah.
