The Governor of Texas, Greg Abbott, authorized this Thursday the state authorities to return to the ports of entry the migrants they detain, which generates a possible confrontation with the federal government in charge of managing the immigration policy of the United States.
(Read: Miami: preferred destination for Colombians to buy a home)
The Republican governor signed an executive order authorizing and empowering the Texas National Guard and the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) to bring undocumented migrants they detain to ports of entry.
(You are interested in: Mexico: migrants demand permits to travel to the US)
In a statement, Abbott assured that the measure aims to “stop the criminal enterprise that endangers our communities“The state of Texas is once again stepping up and taking unprecedented steps to protect Americans and secure the southern border,” the governor said.
Since President Joe Biden came to power in January 2021, Abbott has waged a fight against the Democratic federal government, accusing it of promoting an “open borders” policy.
“As the challenges at the border continue to increase, Texas will continue to take steps to address the challenges caused by the Biden Administration,” the Republican insisted in making the announcement.
Jeremy McKinney, president of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), condemned Abbott’s order in a statement.
The governor’s political ploy is morally reprehensible and unquestionably illegal.
With this move, Abbott has tested the limits of state authority by empowering state law enforcement to bring migrants to ports of entry.
It is unclear if the agents will turn the migrants over to federal authorities. The announcement came two days after authorities from several counties in southern Texas asked Abbott for “more action” to stop the entry of undocumented immigrants, which they described as “invasion.”
The executive order empowers the National Guard and the Texas Department of Homeland Security “to apprehend immigrants who illegally cross ports of entry and return them to the border,” the statement added.
The “invasion” declaration is part of a movement that wants to invoke a declaration of the US Constitution, which gives states a legal basis to invoke war powers.
Biden must respond quickly with litigation and remind Governor Abbott that the Constitution clearly states how our democratic republic is supposed to function.
The idea has been widely criticized by immigrant advocates, who have warned that the speech is part of the political campaign of the Republican governor, who is seeking re-election in November.
In this regard, McKinney warned that the US Constitution makes it clear that immigration law enforcement is a federal authority and that state governors cannot set their own policies.
Abbott’s executive order does not explicitly declare an “invasion” but does refer to the US Constitution.
“This action is only understandable in an electoral campaign context in the state of Texas“, the Mexican government said in a statement Thursday night, in view of the upcoming November elections that include those of governors.
Migration figures from Mexico to the United States have remained high in recent months. In May, authorities detained more than 239,000 people on the Mexican border, a record number, even though it also includes those who tried to enter the United States on multiple occasions.
Mexican outrage
the Mexican president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, branded this Friday as “immoral” and “vulgar” the new executive order of the Government of Texas for state authorities to return migrants they detain to ports of entry.
The president denounced that the governor of Texas, Republican Greg Abbott, signed on Thursday for electoral reasons the executive order that empowers the Texas National Guard and the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) to take to the ports of entry undocumented migrants.
In effect, it is already overstepping its limits, it is not legally up to it to make that decision, it is something that has to do with the federal government of the United States.
“And more to get votes, it is very vulgar to do that, and it has no legal basis, moreover, because it does not correspond to it,” he commented.
In addition, he accused him of taking a measure that is not within his powers because immigration policy is the responsibility of the federal government.
The president of Mexico denounced the “double standards” and “hypocrisy” of Catholic politicians and Texan evangelicals who are anti-immigrant.
He also indicated that there are “inhuman, retrograde parties or politicians who are thinking about walls and the use of force, and militarization, when what they have to think about is unity.”
“It is an aberration and we do not agree with that, and I have already said it, and in due course we will repeat it more, if there is a candidate or a party that mistreats migrants and mistreats Mexicans, we are going to ask our countrymen who help us there so that we don’t vote for those parties,” he said.
The White House, for its part, reminded the governor this Friday that it is the responsibility of the federal government to decide on immigration and not to “meddle” in that issue, especially when in the past his actions have caused “chaos” and “confusion” on the border
“Immigration enforcement is something that falls under federal law enforcement and states shouldn’t be making decisions or meddling in that. Especially Texas Governor Abbott, who has a history of causing chaos and confusion at the border.” Jean-Pierre said.
Congressional denial
While the controversy is taking place in Texas, a score of US congressmen asked the Secretary of National Security, Alejandro Mayorkas, not to deport the surviving migrants of the Texas tragedy, in which 53 people died crowded into a truck.
“We urgently ask you to exercise your powers to ensure that surviving migrants not be deported or sent to a detention center,” 22 congressmen led by Democrat Joaquín Castro, who represents Texas, say in a letter.
On June 27, near San Antonio (Texas), authorities found a truck in which dozens of undocumented migrants were crammed. So far Bexar County authorities have identified 47 of the fatalities.
The victims, aged between 13 and 55, include migrants from Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras. Eleven survivors are receiving care at local hospitals or have been released. “We ask that the Department of Homeland Security expedite the process for survivors who apply for visas for humanitarian reasons,” the letter added.
“These visas are for individuals facing oppression, disaster, and other urgent circumstances such as criminal activity, human smuggling, or for people facing persecution while outside the US,” the lawmakers wrote.
The letter recalled that the migrants crammed into the truck suffered extreme temperatures, close to 55 degrees Celsius “and some of the survivors may end up with long-term health problems.”
According to the San Antonio Fire Department, none of the 16 migrants found alive was able to get out of the truck without help. The legislators also asked Mayorkas that his ministry grant permits, for humanitarian reasons, for the families of the victims to visit the survivors and remove the bodies of the deceased.
INTERNATIONAL WRITING
*With information from EFE and AFP
More world news
– USA: at least 100,000 injured or killed by firearms every year
– Prince Harry wins first stage in libel case against tabloid
– Miami: preferred destination for Colombians to buy a home
#Immigration #Texas #authorizes #deportation #detainees #border