OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
House Speaker Mike Johnson is putting heat on President Joe Biden over his lack of immigration and border enforcement after the Louisiana Republican invited the NYPD officers attacked by a mob of migrants last month to the State of the Union Address.
NYPD Police Officer Zunxu Tian will attend with Rep. Anthony D’Esposito (R-NY) and Lt. Ben Kurian with Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY), the New York Post reported.
“Sanctuary cities have endangered American citizens across the country. Brave law enforcement officers, like NYPD Lieutenant Ben Kurian and Police Officer Zunxu Tian, should never be victims of the senseless crimes these policies encourage,” Johnson said in a statement obtained by the outlet.
“Our NYPD officers are on the front line every single day working to keep our streets safe, and unfortunately now they are being forced to deal with hundreds of violent crimes being committed by those in our country illegally,” Malliotakis said in a statement, per The Post.
“I’m honored to have Lt. Kurian accompany me to the State of the Union to not only show support for New York City’s finest but to also bring attention to the need for the Biden Administration to end its dangerous border policies.”
New York City has several “sanctuary city” laws on the books, which means it limits helping enforce federal immigration statutes. The Post noted that in recent weeks, Mayor Eric Adams has suggested scaling back some of those laws as the city became inundated with migrants in the country illegally and local anger at benefits being provided to them.
The Post noted further:
During the violent encounter back in January, Kurian and Tian told the group of migrants from the Candler Building shelter to move along on West 42nd Street in Manhattan as they sought to break up an unruly crowd, but tensions boiled over.
A scrap broke out between a migrant and two of New York’s Finest. Then others joined in and pummeled the officers, including kicks to the head and body of the duo, before fleeing.
“Nothing exemplifies the courageous American spirit quite like our nation’s law enforcement professionals,” D’Esposito, a former NYPD detective, noted, the outlet reported. “For their courage, I am glad they will be recognized by the American people for their commitment to protecting the public.”
The Post noted that a wave of criminal activity by migrants has washed over the city since waves of them began arriving in the spring of 2022. The outlet said that over 172,000 migrants, many of them seeking asylum, have arrived in the city since that date. Nearly 38,000 have been bussed to the city from Texas, compliments of Gov. Greg Abbott (R).
President Biden visited a less chaotic section of the border — Brownsville, Texas — last week as Democrats and the administration attempt to combat Republican criticism of how porous the border has been under the current White House. Illegal immigration has risen to become the top issue, after the economy, in the 2024 election cycle.
During his visit, Biden touted a border security bill that died in the Senate amid a Republican revolt after details were leaked indicating that it would still allow up to 5,000 people into the country daily. Also, the measure contained tens of billions more in aid to Ukraine, which is becoming less popular around the country.
Johnson declared the measure “dead on arrival” in the House.
The union representing the U.S. Border Patrol chided and mocked Biden after he visited a sector in Texas last week that does not get a lot of illegal migrant activity.
“Board AF1, take nap. Wake up in place called Brownsville,” the group wrote on the X platform in a joking about Biden’s itinerary. “Read large teleprompter message, ‘It’s all Trump’s fault.’ Board AF1, ask who people in green uniforms were, told they ‘strap’ illegal aliens, express horror, take nap. Wake up, call a lid, hit beach, take nap.”
Board AF1, take nap.
Wake up in place called Brownsville.
Read large teleprompter message, "It's all Trump's fault".
Board AF1, ask who people in green uniforms were, told they "strap" illegal aliens, express horror, take nap.
Wake up, call a lid, hit beach, take nap. pic.twitter.com/exvsDieaVW
— Border Patrol Union – NBPC (@BPUnion) March 2, 2024
