TX Gov. Gets The Border Fight He Wants.

March 20, 2024 Glen Turpening

Gov. Abbott is gearing up for more court battles regarding his hardline approach to immigration. (The New York Times)

Since the start of the Biden administration, Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas has mounted an increasingly brazen challenge to the federal government over immigration, questioning the notion, long upheld by federal courts, that it is Washington, and not border states, that sets immigration policy. Mr. Abbott has been able to notch some important victories, pushing the boundaries of what a governor can do when it comes to immigration enforcement. With the support of the Republican-dominated Texas Legislature, he has poured more than $10 billion into a long-term deployment of state police and National Guard troops on the border, transforming portions of Texas communities along the Rio Grande into quasi-military encampments, complete with bases for soldiers and boundaries of concertina wire.

By J. David Goodman, 'The New York Times'

Immigration in America is an extremely complicated issue that cuts down both sides of the political spectrum. The large money, fortune 500 interests on the right love immigration because it means more people to do jobs they need done to make a profit. The rank and file ‘Main Street’ folks see it as people coming here who look different and speak other languages which they find appalling and something that needs to be curtailed at all costs. The issue is driving people to the polls therefore the rank and file win in this debate for the GOP and gunning for immigrants is a winning election issue that can’t be passed up in their minds.