Reeves supports Texas governor at border press conference on immigration. See details

Republican Gov. Tate Reeves attended a conference Sunday with other conservative leaders at Shelby Park in Texas to support the Lone Star State in a border dispute with the federal government.

Reeve’s told the Clarion Ledger via text Sunday evening that Democratic President Joe Biden’s latest border policies, as well as his attitudes toward southern border security, have weakened the country.

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“It is clear that our country cannot survive another four years of Joe Biden," Reeves said. "He's weakening America's national security and putting your personal safety at risk, all because of politics. It's long past time to put a stop to this insanity."

The press conference was held by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who hosted Reeves and Republican governors from other states including Tennessee, Arkansas, Georgia and Montana, among others.

Abbott told those in attendance the Texas National Guard is working to “secure” the border around Shelby Park, and that Biden has failed in his duties as president to keep illegal immigration out of the country.

The United States Constitution ultimately gives the federal government regulating authority over immigration.

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“We are here to send a loud and clear message that we are banding together to fight to ensure that we will be able to maintain our constitutional guarantee that states will be able to defend against any type of imminent danger or an invasion,” Abbott said. “That has been threatened by Joe Biden and his abject refusal to enforce the immigration laws of the United States of America. The laws of the United States passed by Congress require the president to deny illegal entry to the country of denying illegal entry. The president has the responsibility imposed by Congress to detain any illegal immigrant who has come here. Biden instead has let them all loose across the entire country.”

In 2023, nearly 2.5 million migrants were caught trying to cross the southern border into the United States, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection data. Abbott said among those millions, border agents caught several suspected terrorists from Iran and MS-13, an international criminal gang that originated in Los Angeles.

As part of Operation Lone Star, Texas has implemented several measures to block migrants from entering the state, including setting up more than 100 miles of razor wire, placing large water buoys in the Rio Grande and building segments of a state border wall. No other state has built a wall.

On Jan. 24, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that federal agents can remove the razor wire after the federal government earlier this month sought an emergency ruling allowing it to do so to reach migrants or officers in distress and to patrol the southern border.

Abbott refuted the ruling, and he has since sent Texas National Guard members to occupy Shelby Park and cut off Federal agent’s access to one of the park’s entrances, Eagle Pass.

Over the last few weeks, 25 governors have came out in support in Texas, including Mississippi's Reeves. On Sunday, several of those state’s governors said they are willing to send additional troops from their National Guard's ranks to assist Texas. Those states include Tennessee and Arkansas. Other states with representatives present at the press conference such as Georgia and Montana, have sent National Guard members in the past.  Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has also committed to sending troops to the border.

“We are the volunteer state, and we have had hundreds of troops on the border,” Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee said. “We are prepared even today to send additional troops, working with the Texas Department of military to do just that.”

Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders said her state has pledged its support to Texas, and they will continue to fight against the Biden Administration on its border policies.

“This is not just a fight that Texas is having, this is a fight that all of us have to engage in,” Sanders said. “Put very simply, Joe Biden has completely failed at one of his most basic and important duties as the president, and he has failed to protect our borders and protect our people.”

Reeves did not directly say if he will send Mississippi National Guard troops to Texas but said he met with other sate leaders to discuss supportive efforts for Abbot.

"Mississippi stands with Texas," Reeves said. "We had productive discussions today about what every state can do to support the mission on the border, and so many of our Republican governors are committed to filling the gap left caused by Joe Biden's unwillingness to do his job."

Last week, Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch also wrote a letter to the Biden Administration condemning the “opening” of the border, and her support of Texas.

“Open borders threaten our nation’s sovereignty as well as the safety of the American people,” Fitch wrote. “In addition to abdicating its core responsibility of protecting our nation, the Biden Administration is actively working to undermine states’ efforts to protect our border and our citizens from the dangerous cartels and traffickers who exploit the chaos there. Enough is enough. This crisis is too dangerous for political gamesmanship."

Grant McLaughlin covers state government for the Clarion Ledger. He can be reached at gmclaughlin@gannett.com or 972-571-2335.

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: MS Gov. Tate Reeves supports Texas on border dispute over immigration