Texas Governor Greg Abbott made a resolute promise on Thursday that he would take decisive action if the Biden administration proceeded with a reported plan regarding migrants in Texas. Referring to a past legal challenge, Abbott stated that ‘Biden considers forcing migrant families to remain in Texas.
This scam was tried years ago & was shot down by a judge.’ Implying swift justice, he added, ‘And, we will add even more buses of migrants to Washington D.C.’
Abbott’s reaction came after the Los Angeles Times released a report on a potential Department of Homeland Security policy. The proposed measure involves monitoring some illegal immigrant families in Texas using GPS devices, including ankle bracelets, to ensure their presence in the state.
This approach would subject families to an asylum process, determining their eligibility to stay. At the same time, it would allow for easier deportation if their proximity to the border became a factor. This plan bears similarities to a Reagan-era initiative that required migrants to remain near the border throughout the evaluation of their applications.
While this strategy aligns with conservative arguments advocating for the detention or close tracking of migrants to expedite deportations rather than releasing them with a notice to appear in court, it could face significant resistance from Republican lawmakers in Texas.
The expanded program, an enhancement of the Family Expedited Removal Program, would establish curfews and monitoring for family units that have traveled to major cities.
In response to the report, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) stated, ‘The administration is committed to expanding safe and orderly pathways for migrants to lawfully enter the United States while imposing consequences on those who fail to use these pathways.’
They added that since May 2023, DHS has removed or returned over 200,000 individuals, including more than 17,000 family unit members. The spokesperson emphasized that DHS continuously engages in policy and operational discussions to ensure a fair, humane, and effective immigration process that efficiently removes individuals without a lawful basis to stay in the country.
Texas has been grappling with a significant influx of migrants at its border in recent years. The concern regarding migrant arrivals is echoed by Democratic officials in areas such as Massachusetts, Chicago, and New York City, who have voiced increasing apprehension about the situation.
Governor Abbott revealed that his administration has transported over 35,000 migrants to self-declared sanctuary cities since August 2022, with over 13,300 individuals sent to New York City.
Among the vocal critics of this busing practice is New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who called on the Biden administration to take immediate action. Adams warned that the crisis posed a threat to ‘destroy New York City.’ Over the past year, more than 100,000 migrants have entered the city’s shelter system.
‘Mayor ERIC ADAMS PREDICTS MIGRANT CRISIS WILL DESTROY NEW YORK CITY Texas has seen some of the largest numbers of migrants hitting its border in recent years. TEXAS LAND COMMISSIONER AUTHORIZES LAW ENFORCEMENT TO PATROL CARTEL HOT SPOT ISLANDIn response to the report, a DHS spokesperson said that the administration ‘is committed to expanding safe and orderly pathways for migrants to lawfully enter the United States, while imposing consequences to those who fail to use those pathways.’
‘Since May 2023, DHS has removed or returned over 200,000 individuals, including over 17,000 individual family unit members,’ they said. ‘DHS continuously holds policy and operational discussions on how to leverage our authorities to ensure a fair, humane, and effective immigration process that efficiently removes those without a lawful basis to stay in the country.’
Republicans, including Governor Abbott, hold the administration’s policies accountable for the ongoing crisis. Meanwhile, Democrats and the administration emphasize the need for increased funding and a comprehensive immigration reform bill, which includes a pathway to citizenship for existing illegal immigrants residing in the U.S.
