Texas Governor Greg Abbott has intensified his border security measures, ordering the installation of "triple-strand" razor wire along the El Paso-Ciudad Juárez sector. This move follows President Joe Biden's decision to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race and endorse Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic candidate. Abbott has linked this decision to his critique of Harris's handling of migration issues, accusing her of failing in her role to address the "root causes" of migration from Central America.
"Joe Biden has now endorsed and fully supports his 'Border Czar,' Kamala Harris, to be the Democratic candidate for president. I think I will need to triple the border wall, razor wire barriers, and the National Guard on the border," Abbott stated after Biden's endorsement of Harris. He reiterated his position days later, following through on his promise to bolster border defenses.
Abbott's criticism is echoed by other Texas Republicans. Senator Ted Cruz has been particularly vocal, giving Harris's performance on managing unauthorized migration a "negative 6,003" on a scale of 1 to 100. "She has presided over the worst invasion of the United States of America in the history of our country, 11.5 million people," Cruz asserted. "And it's deliberate. She wanted this to happen. Joe Biden wanted this to happen."
State Representative Charles Cunningham has also joined the chorus of criticism, noting Harris's infrequent visits to the border during her tenure as Vice President. Cunningham reported seeing migrants from diverse regions including Europe, Africa, and the Middle East during his visits to the Rio Grande. House GOP Chair Elise Stefanik introduced a resolution condemning Harris and the administration for failing to secure the border.
However, the role of "border czar" attributed to Harris by GOP officials is a misnomer. Harris was tasked with addressing the root causes of migration, such as poverty and insecurity in Central America, rather than overseeing U.S.-Mexico border enforcement. The primary responsibility for border policy and enforcement lies with Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and his department.
Despite the criticism, Harris's supporters emphasize her focus on long-term solutions to migration. Her efforts have involved encouraging investments in Central America and promoting development through democratic means. While her approach has faced scrutiny due to "doubts around her exact role, early media misfires and the rapidly changing regional migration crisis," as reported by Axios, her team has clarified that her role was never to directly manage border crossings.
In response to Abbott's recent actions, a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter) detailed his plans: "There it is. We are tripling the razor wire border barrier. Big thanks to the Texas National Guard & Guard sent from other states." This step is part of Abbott's broader Operation Lone Star initiative, launched in 2021 to curb illegal immigration. The operation has led to the apprehension of over 516,300 illegal immigrants and more than 45,300 arrests since its inception.
The implementation of triple-strand razor wire in 2023 sparked a legal dispute between state and federal authorities. The Biden administration requested authorization for Border Patrol to cut the wire, arguing that it posed risks to migrants. Despite these tensions, migrant crossings have decreased significantly, reaching a three-year low in June following Biden's immigration crackdown.
June saw 84,000 border apprehensions, the lowest monthly level since Biden took office. While this figure is nearly double the average monthly apprehensions during the Trump administration, it marks a notable decrease from the peak levels earlier in Biden's term.
