Texas Governor Greg Abbott named a “border czar” on Monday to accelerate construction of the wall on the southern U.S. border with Mexico, in response to the Biden administration’s “refusal” to contain the immigration.
“It’s a full-time job that requires a leader whose sole focus is responding to President [Joe] Biden’s open border policies,” Abbott said before overseeing the installation of a portion of the wall in the far-flung town of San Benito. South of the country.
The new “Czar”, Mike Banks, is a retired, decorated border guard with more than three decades of experience on the border with Mexico. Part of his mission will be to “accelerate the construction of the border wall in Texas,” Abbott added.
“A border wall … is just one way Texas is responding to President Biden’s refusal to enforce immigration laws,” said the conservative governor.
Abbott is one of the promoters of the strict border control measures put in place during the administration of Donald Trump, and an outspoken critic of Biden, whom he blames for the rising wave of illegal immigration in the country.
The “tsar” will work with the Texas Department of the Military and the Department of Public Safety, as part of “Operation Lone Star” launched in 2021 to “deter and repel immigrants illegally crossing Mexico into Texas,” explained the government of Texas. state in a statement.
Abbott said procedures for acquiring rights to some of the land where construction will span have been expedited, “so we can build more wall in the future,” he added. Building the wall costs $25 million per mile (1.6 km).
This Monday, National Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas defended a government program to allow the monthly entry of 30,000 immigrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela who have a sponsor in the United States and arrive by air.
But several Republican states, including Texas, have sued the Biden administration over that measure, which they say is illegal and, according to Abbott, “will entice even more people to cross the border illegally.”
