In a dispute over border policies, Texas Governor Greg Abbott countered President Biden’s claim that he is exploiting asylum-seekers for political purposes, accusing Biden of doing precisely that to cater to the left wing of the Democratic Party, including figures like Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Abbott argued in a “Fox News Sunday” interview that Biden’s border policies are designed to secure leftist support while compromising national integrity.
President Biden has accused Abbott and other Republican governors of manipulating migrants for political advantage, denouncing such actions as politicizing human lives.
Abbott maintained that Biden’s border strategies are political maneuvers jeopardizing national safety, drawing a parallel between Biden and New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who has criticized Abbott’s approach to immigration. Abbott has been transporting migrants to sanctuary cities like New York, prompting Adams to call for additional federal assistance to manage the influx.
Abbott criticized Mayor Adams for promoting New York as a sanctuary city, suggesting Adams should focus on local issues rather than challenging Texas’s immigration-related decisions.
In response, a spokesperson for Mayor Adams accused Abbott of using migrants as political tools, asserting that New York City has upheld American humanitarian values by assisting over 187,300 migrants since spring 2022.
The clash between Abbott and federal authorities intensified with Texas’s installation of barriers in Eagle Pass, leading to a legal confrontation that reached the Supreme Court. The ongoing dispute also involves Texas legislation empowering local law enforcement to detain individuals suspected of illegal entry, which has seen legal pushbacks and temporary enforcement pauses due to court rulings.
