Two separate parties and two separate opinions.
Two separate parties and two separate opinions.
Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and U.S. Rep. Filemon Vela, D-Brownsville, are reacting to President Donald Trump’s decision to send the National Guard to the U.S.-Mexico border.
While Abbott says he “welcomes the support,” Vela called the decision a “horrendous idea.”
Trump on Wednesday signed a memorandum that will clear the way for National Guard to be deployed to the border, however it will be up to the governors along the U.S.-Mexico border to finalize the number and precise timing, the Associated Press reported.
Trump said the issue has reached a “crisis” stage.
In a prepared statement, Abbott said “Today’s (Wednesday) action by the Trump Administration reinforces Texas’ longstanding commitment to secure our southern border and uphold the Rule of Law, and I welcome the support. Going forward, Texas will continue to implement robust border security efforts, and this partnership will help ensure we are doing everything we can to stem the flow of illegal immigration.”
Trumps decision comes just days after it was reported that a caravan of Central Americans are heading to the U.S. Organizers of the migrant group said they never intended to reach the U.S. border.
In a prepared statement Vela said, “Sending the National Guard to the border right now is a horrendous idea. The task of securing our nation’s border rests on the shoulders of more than 42,000 United States Border Patrol agents and United States Customs and Border Protection officers, and they are doing a fine job of it.
If the Trump Administration is serious about providing sufficient support for these agents and officers, it should focus on its backlog in hiring the nearly 4,000 agents, which Congress funded almost three years ago.”
Wednesday U.S. Senator John Cornyn released a statement supporting the president’s decision.
“Utilizing the men and women of the National Guard in a supportive role, as President Obama authorized in 2010, is a commonsense way to temporarily assist law enforcement along the border. It’s critical that the Administration continue to work in close consultation with state and community leaders to ensure the border region can remain safe and prosperous.”
