OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
The White House is getting a lesson in the saying “what goes around comes around” and it does not like it.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was furious at Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott for busing illegal immigrants to the nation’s Capital from his state.
“Governor Abbott of Texas said today he started sending busloads of migrants to New York in an effort to share responsibility with other states. Does the White House have a reaction to that?” a reporter said to the press secretary.
“So, you know, it’s the latest stunt from the governor — another stunt of busing de- — busing desperate migrants across the country. And he’s using them as a political — you know, as a political ploy. I mean, this is what he’s been doing, and it’s shameful,” the press secretary responded.
Actually, one could argue that the President of the United States not fixing an open border is shameful. But she continued.
“And I’ve said this before — I was asked this last week — and it’s costing — it’s costing the state of Texas $1.5 million. That’s what this game that he’s doing, that he’s playing is costing Texans — $1.5 million.
“And we have seen him do this before. He so- — his so-called “Operation Lone Star” put National Guardsmen and law enforcement in dangerous situations and resulted in a logistical nightmare needing federal rescue,” she said.
“His secondary inspections of trucks crossing into Texas cost a billion dollars a week in trade at one bridge alone without turning — without turning up a single case of human and — or drug trafficking.
“So this is, again, a — there is a — and I — again, I talked about this last week: There’s a legal process that we have going on right now. And if he cared about it, if he was really, really serious, he would let that process move through, but instead he wants to play politics; and — and, you know, use the lives of migrants who are desperate to be here, who are trying to find a better life for themselves — and use them; and also costing his constituents millions of — over a million dollars. That’s what he’s doing,” she said.
Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott had the greatest response to Washington D.C., Democrat Mayor Muriel Bowser after she complained about her city being inundated with illegal aliens.
“With pledges from Texas and Arizona to continue these abhorrent operations indefinitely, the situation is dire, and we consider this a humanitarian crisis — one that could overwhelm our social support network without immediate and sustained federal intervention,” the mayor complained as she asked for help from the National Guard.
“We’ve had a number of discussions,” the mayor said. “We’ve facilitated FEMA’s involvement with a million dollar grant that has now been increased to work with a lead nonprofit agency. We’ve facilitated using those grant funds to set up a respite center in a neighboring jurisdiction and I’ve also asked the Secretary of the Army to deploy the D.C. National Guard to help lead that effort.”
The Republican governor responded to her complaints on Twitter.
“D.C. is experiencing a fraction of the disastrous impact the border crisis has caused Texas. Mayor Bowser should stop attacking Texas for securing the border & demand Joe Biden do his job,” he said.
D.C. is experiencing a fraction of the disastrous impact the border crisis has caused Texas.
Mayor Bowser should stop attacking Texas for securing the border & demand Joe Biden do his job. https://t.co/ThEmjxQMK3
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) July 28, 2022
Renae Eze, a spokesperson for the governor, said to the Washington Examiner that DC, “finally understands what Texans have been dealing with every single day, as our communities are overrun and overwhelmed by thousands of illegal immigrants thanks to President Biden’s open border policies.”
Vice President Kamala Harris tore into Gov. Greg Abbott last month after the Texas Republican ordered state law enforcement officials to begin rounding up illegal migrants and send them to federal border crossing stations.
Harris, whom Biden appointed ‘border czar’ early in his term, accused Abbott of “flame-throwing” after he signed an executive order last week allowing the Texas National Guard and Texas Department of Public Safety to arrest undocumented migrants and return them to the border.
In an interview with CBS’ “Face the Nation” program, the vice president was asked what the Biden administration intended to do in response to Abbott’s plan and his blaming the White House for record surges of illegal border crossings and drug smuggling along the country’s border with Mexico, which Abbott has labeled an “invasion.”
“I would suggest that so-called leaders focus on solutions instead of attacks if they really are concerned about a problem, and that includes the issue of immigration,” Harris responded.
