Texas' Abbott Says Biden's 'Catastrophic Border Policies' Abandoned Citizens Near Border

Hundreds of thousands of illegal migrants have been encountered at the southern border in recent months, overwhelming Border Patrol officials and causing a major political headache for the Biden administration.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott said on Sunday that the Biden administration has "completely abandoned" ranchers, citizens of his state, and "all the people who live on the border," claiming that President Joe Biden is "putting them in danger."

In an interview with Fox News, the governor blamed the migrant crisis on Biden's "catastrophic open border policies."

"These are counties and these are people who traditionally have voted Democrat," he added, "that the Biden administration is ignoring."

Abbott went on by telling the anchor that the approach implemented during the Trump administration resulted in "the greatest reduction" in border crossings a year ago.

Texas Gov. Abbott blasts Biden's 'catastrophic open border policies' for migrant crisis https://t.co/HapbnmYg0c @SundayFutures @FoxNews @GovAbbott

— Maria Bartiromo (@MariaBartiromo) October 17, 2021

"But now, we’re seeing the highest number of cross border crossings and it’s all because of the catastrophic open border policies by the Biden administration," he added.

The Texas governor also stressed that cartels are "getting even more aggressive."

He claimed that cartels on the Mexican side of the border are "are beginning to open fire on the National Guard that Texas has down on the border to secure the border."

"This is escalating into a firing war on each side of the border where Texas and our National Guard are having to defend themselves and defend the state of Texas," the governor continued.

"Texas is stepping up to do more than any state has ever done to help to secure this region," Abbott said, adding that the state has "devoted more than $3 billion to secure the border."

He also explained that the National Guard and the Texas Department of Public Safety are stationed along the border, and that his state "itself is building a border wall to make sure that we will be able to better secure our border."

Earlier Fox News reported that groups of migrants were spotted in the border area near the town of Mission, Texas, most of them were families crossing the border and being directed to nearby processing sites.

According to the report, citing Border Patrol officials, migrant family units are likely to be processed and released into the US, possibly at a nearby bus station, the night they are encountered or the next morning, rather than detained under Title 42 public health protections. Only 19% of family units were reportedly detained under Title 42 in August.

Biden's 'Catch and Release' Policies and Migrant Influx

Earlier this year, the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP), which held migrants in Mexico while they awaited immigration proceedings, were abolished by the Biden administration. Separately, they discontinued asylum cooperative agreements (ACAs), which meant that refugees would instead seek asylum in the Northern Triangle countries.

Moreover, the incumbent administration reintroduced the practice of "catch and release," which the Trump administration had sought to abolish. While single adults are still being deported, migrant families are now being permitted to enter the country with simply a Notice to Appear in Court or a Notice to Report to a nearby Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility as a condition.

Republicans have blamed the spike in migration on substantial policy changes, notably the end of border wall construction. In July and August, over 200,000 migrants were encountered, and DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has reportedly warned that if Title 42 public health expulsions are terminated, 400,000 migrants will arrive at the border.

On the other hand, the White House has blamed the influx on a combination of Trump administration policies and "root causes" in Central America.