Texas Governor Announces Border Wall Project With A ‘$250M Down Payment’ To Secure Border

The governor of Texas has accused the Biden administration of abandoning its border-policing tasks.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott said on Wednesday that the state would build its own border wall, blaming the Biden administration of surrendering its duty to secure the country’s southern border.

At a news conference, Abbott stated, “Today we are announcing that Texas will build a border wall in our state to help secure our border,”

Abbott also announced a $250 million down payment for the project, which would enable the state to select a project manager and get the work started. He said that it will be constructed on a mix of public and private land contributions, and that it would be partially financed by donations.

“My belief, based upon conversations that I’ve already had, is a combination of state land as well as volunteer land will yield hundreds of miles to build a wall in the state of Texas,” he added.

The state’s Department of Criminal Justice will make the down payment, according to the Dallas Morning News.

During Trump’s presidency, more than 450 miles of border wall was constructed, including in Texas. Shortly after President Biden entered office, the construction was abruptly stopped by the Biden administration. Supporters of the wall claimed it was a necessary element of a border strategy to halt the tide of illegal immigration, while opponents claimed it was cruel and useless.

Critics of the Biden administration, including Abbott, have said that “open border” policies like halting wall building and rolling back Trump-era measures like the Migrant Protection Protocols have aided the current increase in illegal migration to the border.

“Make no mistake, the border crisis that we’re dealing with right now is a direct result of the open border policies that have been put in place by the Biden administration,” he added.

Border areas like Texas, according to Abbott, have witnessed “carnage” as a result of illegal immigrants. He said that the Texas Department of Public Safety observed an 800 percent rise in the number of fentanyl seized at the border in the first four months of the year, enough to kill more than 21 million Americans.

“Homes are being invaded, neighborhoods are dangerous and people are being threatened on a daily basis with guns by people coming across the border or those working with those coming across the border,” he added.

The news comes as the migratory wave continues, with over 180,000 migrants met in May alone, with the summer months still ahead of us. The Biden administration has blamed the increase on “root causes” in Central America, such as conflict, poverty, and climate change, while downplaying the impact of loosening limits and enforcement.

After the Guatemalan president stated that the administration’s message was partially responsible for the problem, Vice President Kamala Harris, who has been chastised for not visiting the border, urged migrants in Guatemala last week “do not come”

Abbott said on Wednesday that Biden’s administration “has abandoned its responsibility to apply federal law to secure the border and enforce the immigration laws.”

“In the federal government’s absence, Texas is stepping up to get the job done.”

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