A group of Republican governors across the country released a joint statement in support of Texas’ efforts to secure its border with Mexico. The statement, signed by 25 Republican governors in total, denounces efforts by the Biden administration to stop efforts made by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to check the influx of illegal aliens into the state.
25 Republican Governors Band Together To Support Texas In Its Fight To Secure The Border https://t.co/6Zha8ZzKHE pic.twitter.com/i1X2QlmHxt
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“Instead of upholding the rule of law and securing the border, the Biden Administration has attacked and sued Texas for stepping up to protect American citizens from historic levels of illegal immigrants, deadly drugs like fentanyl, and terrorists entering our country,” the statement read.
“We stand in solidarity with our fellow Governor, Greg Abbott, and the State of Texas in utilizing every tool and strategy, including razor wire fences, to secure the border. We do it in part because the Biden Administration is refusing to enforce immigration laws already on the books and is illegally allowing mass parole across America of migrants who entered our country illegally,” he added.
The governors pointed out that states have a right to defend themselves, per the U.S. Constitution. Hence, “Texas has every legal justification to protect the sovereignty of our states and our nation in the face of the Biden administration’s failure at its constitutional duties to the state.
The governors who added their signature to the statement include Iowa’s Kim Reynolds, Florida’s Ron DeSantis, South Dakota’s Kristi Noem, Ohio’s Mike DeWine, New Hampshire’s Chris Sununu, Alaska’s Mike Dunleavy, Louisiana’s Jeff Landry, Georgia’s Brian Kemp, Oklahoma’s Kevin Stitt, Montana’s Greg Gianforte, Nevada’s Joe Lombardo, South Carolina’s Henry McMaster, Utah’s Spencer Cox, North Dakota’s Doug Burgum, Missouri’s Mike Parson, Virginia’s Glenn Youngkin, Wyoming’s Mark Gordon, Idaho’s Brad Little, Arkansas’ Sarah Sanders, Tennessee’s Bill Lee, West Virginia’s Jim Justice, Mississippi’s Tate Reeves, Indiana’s Eric Holcomb, Alabama’s Kay Ivey, Nebraska’s Jim Pillen.
Only one Republican governor, Vermont Gov. Phil Scott, did not cosign the joint statement. It is unclear why.
The governor’s statements come as Republicans across the country are voicing support for Abbott amid his legal standoff with the Biden administration. While the United States Supreme Court has authorized federal border patrol agents to cut the concertina wire Texas officials deployed along the border, Abbott declared that the state is under an “invasion,” insisting that the state has a constitutional right to defend itself.