House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., met with Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Thursday at the governor's mansion in Austin, where the governor "implored" his fellow Republican to support the fight against President Joe Biden's border policies.
"We discussed the disastrous impact President Biden's border crisis has had on Texas — and America — and the need for action by the federal government to secure the border," Abbott said in a post to X.
The meeting comes amid an ongoing impasse on Capitol Hill between House and Senate Republicans and the White House, which continues to attach border security to foreign aid bills.
Abbott has instituted "comprehensive border security efforts through Operation Lone Star, including deploying thousands of Texas National Guard soldiers and Texas Department of Public Safety troopers, installing razor wire, and building the Texas border wall," read a statement released by Abbott's office after their meeting.
Earlier this week, Abbott touted the tangible effect that Texas' efforts are having in stemming illegal immigration. U.S. Customs and Border Patrol data showed all five of Texas' border control regions with declines between October and February, with the highest being at Big Bend (65% decrease) and El Paso (47%).
But Abbott is looking for federal action.
"During the meeting, Governor Abbott told Speaker Johnson that the border crisis is both unacceptable and avoidable, urging the Speaker to pass border security legislation that will help stop illegal crossings between ports of entry along the southern border," the release continued.
Johnson, meanwhile, has urged Biden to use executive action on the border, a notion Biden calls impossible without power to do so from Congress, despite undoing every policy implemented by former President Donald Trump when he took office.
"The Governor also implored Speaker Johnson to support the state's ongoing fight against President Biden's attacks on Texas' historic border mission and his refusal to secure the border," the release concluded.
Mark Swanson ✉
Mark Swanson, a Newsmax writer and editor, has nearly three decades of experience covering news, culture and politics.
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