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Former President Donald Trump has waded into the Texas border issue amid tension between the Biden administration and Texas Governor Greg Abbott.
Trump said on his Truth Social media platform on Thursday that "All Americans should support the commonsense measures by Texas authorities to protect the Safety, Security, and Sovereignty of Texas, and of the American people." He also said that "willing states" should "deploy their guards to Texas to prevent the entry of Illegals, and to remove them back across the Border."
The Supreme Court has ruled that wire installed at the border by Abbott as part of his Operation Lone Star can be removed, but so far it remains in place.
The Biden administration argues it prevents border patrol agents form accessing key areas of the border.
Earlier this month, three migrants, including two children, drowned in the Rio Grande in an area federal agents were unable to access.
Abbott's office has made clear its unhappiness with the situation, as tensions with the Biden administration rise. A letter written to Texas officials after the Supreme Court ruling by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on January 24 demanded Texas allow "full access" to the border by January 26.
The DHS said Customs and Border Protection units have been blocked from the critical area of Eagle Pass.
Trump's intervention—the border is expected to be a key issue in this year's presidential election—saw him pitch himself as working alongside Abbott on the issue.
"When I am President, on Day One, instead of fighting Texas, I will work hand in hand with Governor Abbott and other Border States to Stop the Invasion, Seal the Border, and Rapidly Begin the Largest Domestic Deportation Operation in History," he said on Truth Social. "Those Biden has let in should not get comfortable because they will be going home."
Not just Trump
Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick warned that the "biggest mistake" the Biden administration could make is to confront "law enforcement or our military, our National Guard at our border."
He told Fox News' Laura Ingraham: "If they come down and create a situation, all of America already knows now they will clearly see that the Democrats are willing to take on a state that is operating under our constitutional right to protect our people."
When Ingraham asked if Biden "wants something to trigger something that will end up in some type of violence involving states versus the federal government," Patrick replied that he was "not concerned" about the prospect.
It isn't just Abbott's office and Trump the Biden administration is having to contend with, as a total of 25 Republican governors have issued a joint-statement backing the Texas governor.
The statement said: "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."
The list of governors includes Ron DeSantis of Florida, Brian Kemp of Georgia and Jeff Landry of Louisiana.
Congress
Border security has long been part of Trump's appeal to his base. During his first presidential run in 2016, when he successfully beat Democrat Hillary Clinton, he infamously called for Mexico to pay for the construction of a border wall.
The issue has been used by Trump as one of his key direct attack lines on Biden.
The president has requested a $106 billion funding package, around $60 billion of which is for Ukraine. There is also funding for Israel and Taiwan.
Biden has urged lawmakers to work with his administration on a deal on border security, but Republican lawmakers have stalled it, as they are unhappy with some of its provisions.
Negotiations have taken months, but reports of a deal between the Biden administration and the GOP have recently emerged.
Trump has said the Senate deal with the Biden administration is "meaningless" for border security and stated the only way forward was voting for him.
Punchbowl News has quoted Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell as saying Congressional party members didn't "want to do anything to undermine" Trump.
Newsweek has approached McConnell's office, the White House and a spokesperson for Trump for comment via email.
The reported comments sparked backlash from McConnell's fellow Republicans including Senator Mitt Romney.
Romney, a vocal critic of Trump, despite his party allegiances, told CNN it would be "appalling" for GOP senators to back out of a potential deal that has taken months to arrange to protect a political campaign.
"The fact that [Trump] would communicate to Republican senators and congresspeople that he doesn't want us to solve the border problem because he wants to blame Biden for it is really appalling," he said.
Later, an apparently reassured Romney said McConnell "is not going to let political considerations of any campaign stand in the way of his support."
Punchbowl also reported McConnell as saying he is "fully engaged in both the border and getting Ukraine and Israel [funding] together on this."
About the writer
Benjamin Lynch is a Newsweek reporter based in London, U.K. His focus is U.S. politics and national affairs and he ... Read more