New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, along with 24 other Republican governors, have expressed support for Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s efforts to impose authority over the southern border.
The bipartisan coalition signed a statement urging the use of various tools, including razor wire barriers, to defend the border against rising risks from potential terrorists, drug traffickers, and human smugglers.
“The federal government is not doing the jobs that Americans hired them to do,” Sununu said Monday in an appearance on “Elizabeth Vargas Reports.” “Texas as a state has the right and responsibility to safeguard its borders. The states come first, and Washington appears to forget that.
Political tensions remain high at the southern border, as federal authorities have prevented Border Patrol agents from entering Shelby Park in Eagle Pass, Texas, along the Rio Grande for three weeks.
Texas officials and other Republican governors say that the blockage is necessary, but the Biden administration insists on its removal.
On Capitol Hill, Biden is aggressively working with senators to resolve the immigration situation. The proposed legislation establishes sweeping new border controls and gives the president the ability to seal the border if it becomes overcrowded with migrants.
Biden has promised to close the US-Mexico border “when it becomes overwhelmed” if Congress passes a bipartisan border security agreement.
Addressing worries about potential abuse of power, Sununu chastised the Biden administration for using politics to postpone taking decisive action. He urged the government to enable Border Patrol to enforce existing laws without the need for significant legislative reforms.
“How about we just let Border Patrol do their job, right? This does not require legislation. That does not necessitate any big regulatory changes,” Sununu stated.
While accepting the president’s ability to temporarily close the border in response to an influx of migrants, Sununu emphasized the need to allow Border Patrol personnel to carry out their jobs. He stated that a secure border necessitates executing existing rules rather than relying only on appearances.