Washington — In a bold move, Texas Governor Greg Abbott's attempt to fortify sections of the southern border with razor and concertina wire has been deemed ineffective by Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. Mayorkas stated that migrants are easily cutting through the barriers, undermining Abbott's efforts.
Abbott's initiative, known as Operation Lone Star and costing billions of dollars, has seen the deployment of state National Guard troops to erect concertina and razor wire, alongside other barriers, along the Texas-Mexico border. The use of wire has sparked a legal dispute between Texas and the U.S. Justice Department, further complicating the situation.
Abbott's Claims on Texas Border Crossings Disputed by Mayorkas
Abbott argues that the barriers deter migrants from crossing into his state illegally and has credited them for a marked drop in illegal crossings along the Texas border since last year. More broadly, he has claimed that Texas' actions, which also include arrests of migrants on trespassing charges, are responsible for pushing migrant crossings into Arizona and California in recent months.
"I know that Governor Abbott of Texas has taken credit for a reduction in the number of encounters and I would posit that the tools that he has employed — and I'm not commenting on their lawfulness or legal shortcomings, that is obviously the subject of litigation in court — but the tools that he has employed were in effect in December, and they were in effect in January," Mayorkas said.
"And so to attribute the significant drop in the number of encounters to anything he has done, I would say is belied by the facts," Mayorkas added.
Representatives for Abbott did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Mayorkas' remarks.
During Abbott's tenure, Texas has mounted the most aggressive state effort in modern history to challenge the federal government's long-standing power to set border and immigration policy.
Amidst the recent trespassing arrests and increased security measures in Texas, reports have emerged that the state has been transporting large numbers of migrants to Democratic-led cities without informing local authorities. In a controversial move, the Texas National Guard took over a public park in Eagle Pass, preventing federal Border Patrol agents from processing migrants at that location.
Furthermore, Texas has been pushing for the implementation of one of the strictest state immigration laws in the country, known as SB4. This law would allow Texas officials to arrest and detain migrants on misdemeanor or felony charges if they are suspected of unauthorized entry into the U.S., and to mandate their return to Mexico. The legality of SB4 is currently under review by a federal appeals court.
When asked about SB4, Mayorkas refrained from commenting extensively due to the ongoing legal proceedings. However, he emphasized that immigration policy falls under the jurisdiction of the federal government.
Mayorkas criticized Texas for its border initiatives, accusing the state of inciting chaos rather than fostering cooperation among authorities.
"We believe that effective governance necessitates collaboration and communication among leaders, and the intentional disruption of this process to create disorder is not conducive to responsible governance," Mayorkas stated.
Earlier this year, the Republican-led House of Representatives impeached Mayorkas on charges that he breached the public's trust and failed to fully enforce U.S. immigration laws, making him the first cabinet secretary to be impeached since the 1870s. Mayorkas has not been accused of personal misconduct and Democrats have said Republicans impeached him solely based on immigration policy differences.
The House impeachment managers are expected to deliver the articles of impeachment to the Democratic-led Senate on Wednesday, when Mayorkas is also set to testify before two congressional committees for funding hearings.
On Friday, Mayorkas reiterated that he remains focused on his day job and said he hasn't thought about whether he'd prefer that the Senate hold a trial or quickly dismiss the impeachment articles.
"When I say that I am not focused on the impeachment proceedings, I actually mean it," Mayorkas said. "I will say this, that it is my hope that my time is not taken away from my work."
