Republican governors rally to Abbott’s defense, criticize Biden border inaction

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Rallying around Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, Republicans including Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo have released a statement criticizing President Joe Biden and citing legal justification in the fight to secure the state’s border with Mexico.

Calling it a “constitutional right to self-defense” in a statement released on Thursday, 25 Republican governors backed Abbott’s efforts including razor wire fences. Abbott on Wednesday accused the Biden Administration of breaking “the compact” with states by refusing to enforce immigration laws.

Abbott posted photos this week of Texas National Guard members putting up more razor wire on the banks of the Rio Grande River.

“President Biden and his Administration have left Americans and our country completely vulnerable to unprecedented illegal immigration pouring across the Southern border,” according to the statement. “Instead of upholding the rule of law and securing the border, the Biden Administration has attacked and sued Texas for stepping up to protect American citizens from historic levels of illegal immigrants, deadly drugs like fentanyl, and terrorists entering our country.”

The governors’ statement said the Biden administration is “illegally allowing mass parole across America of migrants who entered our country illegally.”

“We stand in solidarity with our fellow Governor, Greg Abbott, and the State of Texas in utilizing every tool and strategy, including razor wire fences, to secure the border,” it said.

“The authors of the U.S. Constitution made clear that in times like this, states have a right of self-defense, under Article 4, Section 4 and Article 1, Section 10, Clause 3 of the U.S. Constitution. Because the Biden Administration has abdicated its constitutional compact duties to the states, Texas has every legal justification to protect the sovereignty of our states and our nation,” according to the statement.

Lombardo’s support of the statement drew criticism from progressives in Nevada.

“Nevada has the third highest rate of undocumented residents in the country. We should be the leader in creating welcoming and inclusive communities,” according to the Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada. The statement took aim at Lombardo on the issues of affordable housing, inflation and utility costs.

The governors who signed to statement were Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey, Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy, Arizona Gov. Sarah Sanders, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, Idaho Gov. Brad Little, Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry, Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves, Missouri Gov. Mike Parson, Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte, Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen, Lombardo, New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice and Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon.

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