HUNT VALLEY, Md. (SBG) — Tensions are rising in border states and in Washington, D.C. about the mounting crises at the southern border and how the Biden administration plans to address them.
The president faces criticism over immigrant deportations and the treatment of unaccompanied children from Democrats, crime from human, drug and sex traffickers from Republicans, and concerns from both sides over the tens of thousands of immigrants making the dangerous journey to the U.S. — just to get sent right back to their home countries or cities in Mexico. And, some are dying along the way.
Republican governors and senators convened Wednesday to draw attention to the problems and what they describe as inaction by the administration. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, joined a group of other Senate Republicans Wednesday afternoon, united in one message: “Secure the border. Enforce the law."
“This is a humanitarian crisis. It’s a public health crisis. It’s a national security crisis. And right now, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris refuse to do a damn thing about it,” Cruz said.
The administration has focused its efforts on trying to address the problems in the countries migrants flee from, such as corruption, inequalities, poverty and failing economic systems. But Biden and Harris have been criticized for not doing enough to root out corruption and solve the problems. So far, their response has been deportations.
Other GOP senators cited the rate of COVID positivity among migrants at the border — 24%. They expressed concern about criminals or terrorists crossing the border into the U.S. They pointed to the 21-year high of U.S.-Mexico border apprehensions in August and said that number was likely exceeded in September, but U.S. Customs and Border Protection has yet to release September numbers.
Republicans' three requests of the administration are: to resume construction of the border wall; reverse the catch-and-release policy; and drop the challenge of a federal judge’s order to enforce the Trump-era "Remain in Mexico" policy, which sends migrants to Mexico while they wait to seek asylum in the U.S.
Senators also encouraged the consideration and passage of the Bipartisan Border Solutions Act introduced in April. Senators John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., and Representatives Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, and Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, wrote the bill and said it would establish more regional processing centers, create pilot programs to facilitate more credible asylum decisions, prioritize migrant immigration court cases during surges, increase staffing during surges and prevent the release of migrants into small communities, among other measures.
From D.C. to the border itself in Mission, Texas oWednesday, several Republican governors led by the state's Gov. Gregg Abbott discussed a list they sent to the Biden Administration of 10 actions that need to be taken at the border, many of which match the senators’ demands. The governors said they have yet to hear anything back from the White House.
“We’ve tried to meet with the president and be a part of the solution, but he refuses,” said Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey. “Even worse, he ignores us just like he’s ignoring the border and the well-being of the American people.
Abbott announced via Twitter last week the Texas National Guard and Texas Department of Public Safety are both “gearing up” at the border for increased caravans trying to cross. The entities are working to seal surge locations and arrest trespassers. During the Del Rio surge, Abbott directed the National Guard and Texas DPS to create a steel barrier with hundreds of vehicles and Humvees as a deterrent. This barrier will remain in place.
Abbott said the state of Texas must “act in Biden’s absence.”
“Our constituents demand it. Not just in Texas, but I can speak for all of these governors when all these states are suffering because of the massive inflow of fentanyl into the U.S., which is leading to deaths in all of our states,” he said, joined by governors of Arizona, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Montana, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Wyoming.
However, while Democrats in Congress are also critical of the Biden administration’s handling of the border, it’s for different reasons.
The Trump administration invoked Title 42 for COVID-19, which is a rarely used public health law allowing the U.S. to turn immigrants away at the border to preserve the health of the nation. The Biden administration kept it in place, and a federal appeals court ruled to keep the law in effect until January instead of letting it expire Sept. 30. If Title 42 had not been extended, U.S. officials were quietly preparing for a worst-case scenario of 350,000 to 400,000 migrants trying to cross the border in October.
But Democrats argue Title 42 denies immigrants of humanitarian protections they deserve. For Haitians, it was protection from a devastating earthquake and fleeing for fear of persecution or torture.
They also lashed out at the treatment of Haitians in Del Rio, urging the administration to halt repatriations to Haiti until the country could recover from its crises and prompting an investigation into border patrol’s use of horses as enforcement.
Democratic Reps. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., and Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., said in a joint statement during the Del Rio surge, “Despite the administration's rapid deployment of personnel and resources in response to this crisis, much of the strategy to address the care of these vulnerable individuals is deeply concerning.”
A top Department of State legal adviser resigned over the Biden Administration’s deportations of Haitians, calling it “illegal and inhumane.”
Democrats aim to address the border crisis with a path to citizenship, but their effort failed twice when the Senate parliamentarian ruled out including it in their reconciliation bill. Their Plan C involves granting parole to groups of undocumented immigrants, which they say brings relief to a significant amount of people and allows them to work. It’s unclear where they are in their efforts.
While Republicans argue the surges are happening because of Biden’s border policies that indicate an open border, Democrats argue the problem is misinformation circulating in other countries and smugglers.
This could have sparked from confusion surrounding temporary protections extended to more than 100,000 Haitians living in the U.S. But the temporary protected status was only meant for Haitians living in the U.S., a fact that was often not included in social media posts. Facebook, Youtube and WhatsApp are used by migrants to share information, and in some cases, encourage illegal migrant smuggling and hatred toward migrants, according to the Facebook whistleblower who came forward this week. Websites reportedly offer free promotion for smugglers and instructions for migrants headed to the border from those who made the dangerous trek.
With the uncertainty of future surges of migrants flooding to the border, Texas officials promise to secure it for its residents, awaiting action on behalf of the administration. At the same time, Democrats scramble in Washington to figure out a way to pass immigration legislation including a pathway to citizenship.