The BBC writes –
Republican governors in half of the US have backed Texas in an intensifying standoff with the federal government over illegal immigration.
The Supreme Court ruled this week against Texas Governor Greg Abbott, who has strung razor wire along miles of the frontier with Mexico.
But the Republican has vowed to add more razor wire to crack down on what he calls an invasion.
A record 225,000-plus illegal migrants crossed the border in December alone.
On Thursday, 25 Republican governors released a joint statement of solidarity with Mr Abbott for “stepping up to protect American citizens from historic levels of illegal immigrants, deadly drugs like fentanyl, and terrorists entering our country”.
@idahorepublican #texas #bordercrisis #usa #governorabbott #idaho #iowa #biden #immigrationcrisis #borderpatrol #homelandsecurity #mayorkas #southdakota #nebraska #oklahoma #tennessee #florida #ohio #arkansas #southcarolina #virginia #westvirginia #wyoming #northdakota #redstate #news #worldnews #fyp #americans #governorbradlittle ♬ original sound – The Idaho Republican
The justices ruled by 5-4 that US Border Patrol, a federal agency, could cut or clear out the concertina wire set up by the Texas National Guard. The justice department had argued the fencing hampers the work of Border Patrol agents in that it poses a danger to both migrants and law enforcement. Some of the illegal migrants have cut themselves on the wire.
Appearing on Fox News on Thursday, Mr Abbott said: “Because the Biden administration has really, truly abdicated its responsibility to secure the border and enforce the laws, Texas, very simply, is securing the border.” He has posted photos of the Texas National Guard laying down new razor wire along the river. The move does not appear to violate the Supreme Court order, which granted permission for the removal of existing wire, while saying nothing about adding new barriers.
But Abbott has argued there is nothing preventing him from ordering the Texas national guard to continue laying more razor wire down. The national guard is ultimately part of the US military, overseen by the US president as commander-in chief, but except in specific situations where the president explicitly takes federal control, the national guard in each state takes orders from its state governor.