Texas Republican Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick went on Fox News Thursday to scrap President Joe Biden's guidance on the southern border and explain what the Lone Star State will do in its place.
Patrick appeared on “The Ingraham Angle” to discuss Biden's recent visit to the southern border in Brownsville, Texas, on Thursday to address the ongoing immigration crisis. After watching a clip of Biden's speech during his visit, Patrick quickly interjected and accused the president of having “no idea what he's talking about.” (Related: Biden visits one of the most backward sectors at the border to slam Congress and talk about climate change)
“Laura, he has no idea what he's talking about. He has no clue,” Patrick said. “I was asked the other day what three things Texas would do today if it were in control. First, it would change Title 42, the Trump policy that kept asylum seekers in Mexico. Second, if you don't stop this by going to Mexico and stationing troops and marines on your side of the border, like President Trump did, you're going to put tariffs on everything that Mexico sends into Mexico. Tell the president that you're going to sell him. And third, you're going to take our best Border Patrol agents and treat them like hotel agents, showing people the door. Instead, let law enforcement do their job.”
“There is Senate Bill 4 that was returned yesterday in a local court,” Patrick continued. “We will win in the 5th Circuit. This decision will go to the Supreme Court and allow Texas, Rolla, Texas to protect our borders. We will hire all the Border Patrol agents who want to work. We have the money, so they will come to work for us. We need Joe Biden and the federal government to get out of the way. And we will secure America's borders, because it has to stop. People are dying every day because of Joe Biden's policies.”
U.S. District Judge David Ezra issued a preliminary injunction blocking Senate Bill 4, which was originally scheduled to go into effect Tuesday. according to To the Texas Tribune. The original bill was signed by Republican Governor Greg Abbott in December 2023.
U.S. Border Patrol data records more than 1.7 million illegal immigrant encounters during 2023, and more than 824,000 released into the United States while awaiting future trial. Federal authorities seized more than 229,000 pounds of drugs at the southern border, including 22,000 pounds of fentanyl, according to the data.
