Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is back in the saddle as he joins Texas in battling the Biden administration on the issue of illegal immigration.
DeSantis ended his ill-fated presidential campaign after finishing a distant second in the Iowa caucuses. This week, DeSantis — who carved out a record as a strident voice opposing President Joe Biden’s policies on immigration — returned to that battle by supporting fellow Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.
Abbott has said through words and actions that Texas will use its resources to guard the border and rid the state of illegal immigrants. The Biden administration is fighting back. This week, Abbott issued a statement saying Texas has a constitutional right to protect itself.
If the Constitution really made states powerless to defend themselves against an invasion, it wouldn’t have been ratified in the first place and Texas would have never joined the union when it did.
TX is upholding the law while Biden is flouting it.
FL will keep assisting… https://t.co/qOJY2zT1hG
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) January 24, 2024
DeSantis noted that states never surrendered their rights when the U.S. Constitution was ratified.
“If the Constitution really made states powerless to defend themselves against an invasion, it wouldn’t have been ratified in the first place and Texas would have never joined the union when it did. TX is upholding the law while Biden is flouting it. FL will keep assisting Texas with personnel and assets,” DeSantis wrote in a Wednesday post on X.
Earlier this week, DeSantis had shown his support for the state by posting his support after a Supreme Court ruling allowed federal agents to cut concertina wire erected by the state while a court dispute over the state’s placement of the wire goes on.
The Supreme Court is siding with the Biden administration against Texas by allowing the federal government to take down razor wire on the border.
Texas is trying to enforce our laws and uphold our sovereignty while the federal government is disregarding the law and ignoring its… pic.twitter.com/EqzY8OWlQ1
— Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantis) January 22, 2024
“Texas is trying to enforce our laws and uphold our sovereignty while the federal government is disregarding the law and ignoring its responsibility to protect our borders. What an upside down world,” DeSantis posted on X.
Do you support Texas in its border battle?
The Texas dispute has drawn Democratic calls for strong federal action.
“Governor Greg Abbott is using the Texas National Guard to obstruct and create chaos at the border. If Abbott is defying yesterday’s Supreme Court ruling, @POTUS needs to establish sole federal control of the Texas National Guard now,” Democratic Rep. Joaquin Castro of Texas posted on X.
However, other GOP governors are siding with Abbott.
IT’S HAPPENING. 🔥🔥🔥🔥
The following Governors are standing with Texas and Gov. Abbott in Border dispute with the Federal Government.Oklahoma, Stitt
South Dakota, Noem
Florida, DeSantis
Virginia, Youngkin
Montana, Gianforte.Where are the other Governors? pic.twitter.com/M14n3MiCdA
— Juanita Broaddrick (@atensnut) January 25, 2024
Abbott’s statement said that Texas is protecting itself from an invasion, one that has been aided and abetted by Biden.
“The federal government has broken the compact between the United States and the States. The Executive Branch of the United States has a constitutional duty to enforce federal laws protecting States, including immigration laws on the books right now. President Biden has refused to enforce those laws and has even violated them,” the statement said.
NEW: Texas is doubling down on their effort to secure the border as Gov. Greg Abbott issues blistering statement to Biden, claiming he has broken his constitutional duty to protect the U.S.
Gotta love Texas 🔥
The Texas National Guard is now reinforcing barriers along the Rio… pic.twitter.com/hCg6rBZYnW
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) January 24, 2024
“The result is that he has smashed records for illegal immigration. Despite having been put on notice in a series of letters—one of which I delivered to him by hand—President Biden has ignored Texas’s demand that he perform his constitutional duties,” the statement said.
“James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and the other visionaries who wrote the U.S. Constitution foresaw that States should not be left to the mercy of a lawless president who does nothing to stop external threats like cartels smuggling millions of illegal immigrants across the border,” Abbott said, citing the legal basis for his stand.
