MISSOULA — Texas Governor Greg Abbott has been outspoken about the border policies of the Biden administration.
Thirteen Republican governors, including Gov. Greg Gianforte, visited the southern border on Sunday.
While Gov. Abbot continued his stance on immigration and border security in a presidential election year, Gov. Gianforte says that the governors want to encourage immigration as long as it’s legal.
Seizing control of a public park, Gov. Abbott prevented federal agents from foot patrols to send a political message.
Joined by 14 of the 24 Republican governors, they claimed the Biden administration violated the federal government's "compact" with the states, justifying state intervention at the border.
“Ten million people coming into this country illegally. That’s 10 per person living in the state of Montana. We want to encourage immigration, but legally,” Gov. Gianforte said. “Those people crossing illegally are creating an invasion.”
The vast majority of people crossing in between ports of entry are looking for asylum.
Crossings in recent weeks are down overall along the entire U.S. border.
U.S. Senator Steve Daines (R-MT) issued the following statement opposing the Senate’s emergency supplemental funding bill:
“President Biden could have secured the border on Day One of his presidency and chose not to and the disastrous results speak for themselves. Reversing the effective policies of President Trump turned the southern border into one of the biggest national security risks in our country’s history with illegals streaming across who are on the FBI’s terror watch list as well as from countries that are designated as state sponsors of terror.
“Fixing this crisis demands more than the ‘border never closes’ policy that was negotiated. This bill also provides no guarantee that the president will enforce existing law, let alone new ones.
“Finally, with House Republicans united in opposition to this bill it makes no sense to even bring it up in the Senate. For all of these reasons I will vote no when the bill is brought to the Senate floor this week.”
U.S. Senator Jon Tester (D-MT) issued the following statement after Senate negotiators released the text of a bipartisan border security deal:
“What’s happening at the southern border is unacceptable, plain and simple. Montanans from every corner of our state tell me they want a secure border and a solution to the fentanyl crisis, and law enforcement have made it clear to me that they need resources and policy changes to get the job done—something only Congress has the power to do. So it’s time for my colleagues in Congress to stop kicking the can down the road and quit using the border as a political football. Let’s put this bipartisan proposal on the floor so we can debate it before the American people and pass a bill to secure our border now.”
