In a power move to clamp down on illegal immigration, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott inked a trio of tough border security bills into law in Brownsville yesterday. Taking place at the Texas border wall, this landmark legislation is aimed at putting a dent in human trafficking and illegal crossings into the State of Texas. "Today, I will sign three laws to better protect Texas—and America—from President Biden’s border neglect," said Abbott, as per a report from the Governor's official website. Abbott didn't mince words, blaming the current administration for a surge in illegal border activity and claiming that Biden's removal of Trump-era policies was a catalyst for the issue.
According to the Governor's official website, the ceremony was a full house with the echelons of Texas leadership, including Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, who stated, "It has never been more clear that Texas must step into the breach created by the border security liars and deniers Biden, Harris, and Mayorkas, and the signing of these three bills is indicative of the Texas Senate and my commitment to stemming the flow of illegal immigration and a strong southern border."
Brandon Judd, president of the National Border Patrol Council, praised Abbott's stance. "As the flagrant disregard of our laws too often is the norm throughout our country, Texans can be proud that their governor will not back down to pervasive and radical woke ideology," Judd told the Governor's official website.
New legislation includes Senate Bill 4, which slaps a mandatory ten-year prison sentence for those found guilty of smuggling humans and bumps penalties for operating stash houses. General Thomas Suelzer of the Texas National Guard notes the impact of the legislation on enforcement, "I want to thank the Governor for his relentless effort to protect Texans," underscoring the logistical strides in surveillance and physical barriers being implemented across the border.
According to the report from the Governor's official website, the funding taps into the state's purse, with Senate Bill 3 appropriating $1.54 billion for the border wall and other security measures. Trusting Texans to defend their own, Texas Border Czar Mike Banks commended Governor Abbott for having the "moral courage to defend Texas and our nation when President Biden refuses to do so." Texas' new laws seem eager, as Senate Bill 4 from Special Session #4 aims for a repeat offenders system that swings hard with up to a 20-year sentence for illegal reentry. These measures portray Texas as not just an aggrieved party but as a powerful actor reclaiming its borders.
