WASHINGTON — Former Acting CBP Commissioner and Heritage visiting fellow Mark Morgan released a statement Friday praising the announcement by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott that Texas will begin construction of border wall and other barriers along its southern border to help stem the unprecedented flow of illegal aliens into the state. The border crisis sparked by President Joe Biden is the worst in decades, with more than 180,000 individuals being apprehended by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in May, marking the third month in a row of more than 170,000 apprehensions, and the fourth month of 100,000 or more. 

“It’s become abundantly clear that the Biden administration is not remotely interested in fixing this border crisis. Indeed, the Biden administration created the crisis, despite numerous, clear warnings about what would happen if they undid the previous administration’s policies that created the most secure border in our history. The numbers speak for themselves. Illegal crossings in April 2021 increased more than 900% compared to April 2020. This month saw a 675% increase compared to May 2020—and these are just the ones we know about. The number of got-aways this fiscal year is estimated to be more than 180,000. These illegal aliens evaded Border Patrol and now reside in our country illegally.  

 

“No one should count on the Biden administration to fix the crisis. President Biden and Vice President Harris and their enablers in the executive branch and Congress see a perceived political benefit in mass illegal immigration, and so this crisis will continue for the foreseeable future. That’s why Texas is right to stand up for its citizens, and to pledge to do what the federal government won’t do—secure our borders, enforce our laws, and protect our communities. Frankly, other states should follow Texas’ lead, not just in constructing effective border barriers, but in pursuing other options that will secure our border and protect our border communities. States expecting the Biden administration to change course or provide aid at this point are making a foolish gamble. If they refuse to take charge of their own security, they are simply empowering and enabling Biden’s open-borders agenda. 

 

“Biden’s border crisis was brought on almost exclusively by executive action. The only chance we have to fix the situation is if states say enough is enough, and then act decisively. I applaud Texas for being the first to do so. I encourage Texas to follow through and finish the wall, and other states to follow Texas’ lead.”