Welcome to your weekly Texans for Strong Borders Newsletter. Here is the latest information you need to know about the ongoing battle to end illegal immigration into the state of Texas.
U.S. Senate Rejects H.R. 2 Amendment in Debt Limit Package
Last night, the U.S. Senate rejected an amendment to incorporate H.R. 2, the Secure the Border Act of 2023, into the debt limit. This was a strategic move originally brought forth by the House Republican Study Committee. The amendment, which sought to strengthen border security measures, was an important step towards addressing the ongoing crisis at our southern border.
If passed, the Secure the Border Act of 2023 would have been an assertive response to the ongoing challenges we face at the border. It would have provided robust border security and enforcement measures to prevent further abuse of immigration laws and curb mass illegal immigration including:
- End Catch and Release
- Resume Border Wall Construction
- Bolster Border Patrol Staffing
- Provide Title 42-like Authority
- Address Exploitation of Unaccompanied Children by the Biden Admin
- Expand Mandatory E-Verify
The Senate’s rejection of this amendment is a missed opportunity to address the chaos unleashed by the current administration to take decisive action to secure our borders. That said, every Republican voted for the Amendment except for Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, indicating widespread Republican support for such a measure in the case of a future Republican majority.
This failure to pass Border Security legislation highlights the need for continued efforts to not only hold our elected officials accountable but to seek effective solutions at the state level, as the federal government fails to fulfill their duties.
Abbott’s First Special Session Comes Up Short on ‘Border Security’
At the close of the 88th legislative session on May 28th, Governor Greg Abbott called for an immediate special session to address property tax relief and border security.
In regards to ‘Border Security’, Abbott set forth guidelines for language, specifically: “Legislation solely for the purpose of increasing or enhancing the penalties for certain criminal conduct involving the smuggling of persons or the operation of a stash house.”
Texans for Strong Border immediately recognized this language, as it matched that of HB 800, the bill authored during the regular session that prompted our press release calling on Abbott to widen the call for Border Security during the special session. Our reasoning was simple: as written, HB 800 only addresses one fragment of the colossal Border crisis.
Despite his bold promises, Abbott’s actions have fallen woefully short of tackling the crisis head-on and protecting our beloved state.
The border invasion has reached unprecedented levels, putting an enormous strain on our state’s infrastructure and institutions, endangering the safety of Texans. Meanwhile, Abbott’s response has been nothing short of a disappointment. While he called for a special session, it appears that truly addressing border security was not on his agenda this time around.
TFSB will continue to call on Governor Abbott to call another special session with three things in mind: cutting off the magnets, repelling the invasion, and removing every illegal alien from the state of Texas.
Blue States are Acting, Texas can Fight Back
Recent developments in states like Arizona, California, Massachusetts, Illinois, and Minnesota exacerbate the invasion of the U.S. The Southern Border underscores the urgent need for Texas to take a stand and protect its citizens.
In Arizona, the removal of shipping containers, which took place as newly elected Democrat Governor Katie Hobbs assumed office, marks a step backward. These containers once served as a wall at the border, and their removal is a setback to the state’s progress in constructing a prolonged and effective barrier intended to deter would-be illegal immigrants at every turn. In other blue states like California, the state has adopted policies that limit the use of E-Verify and supports illegal hiring practices, undermining efforts to maintain a legal and secure workforce.
A Senate plan in Massachusetts proposes granting in-state tuition to illegal aliens, prioritizing the political and financial interests of the few over those of the U.S. citizens. Illinois plans to allocate a staggering $1 billion of taxpayer funds to provide healthcare for illegal aliens, burdening hard working citizens and placing illegal aliens ahead of American families. Minnesota passed a law granting driver’s licenses to illegal aliens touting it as “driver’s licenses for all”, further eroding the relationship of citizens versus that of the alien.
Illegal aliens in Texas may not have access to the wide array of healthcare options that they do in Illinois, or driver’s licenses like they do in Minnesota but they do have access to the following:
- Jobs
- In-State Tuition
- Free Public Education
- Property
- Healthcare
If we want to make Texas the least desirable state for illegal immigration and contrast the policies of blue states we must mandate E-Verify for all businesses, public and private, end the practice of giving in-state tuition to illegal aliens (Texas became the first state to do so in 2001), challenge the supreme court on giving free public education to illegal aliens, outlaw illegal aliens access to owning property or receiving healthcare in our state, and of course finish the Texas border wall.
We need a legal and physical barrier to end illegal immigration into our state and our lawmakers must represent us by enacting both!
This has been your weekly Texans for Strong Borders Newsletter. Thank you for reading Patriot.