BY COMFORT OGBONNA
Republican Donald Trump secured the endorsement of Texas Governor Greg Abbott at an event near the U.S.-Mexico border on Sunday. The location aimed to emphasize the former president’s intentions to tighten immigration policies if he prevails in the 2024 election.
Trump, the leading candidate for the Republican nomination to challenge Democratic President Joe Biden next year, visited Edinburg, Texas, with Abbott. Together, they met with Texas National Guard soldiers, Texas Department of Public Safety troopers, and other service members stationed in the area.
Abbott expressed concern about Biden’s border policies, stating that they pose a threat to communities across the United States. He credited Trump with significantly reducing border crossings during his presidency.
“I’m here to tell you that there is no way America can continue under the leadership of Joe Biden as our president. We need a president who will secure the border,” Abbott asserted.
Trump, appreciative of Abbott’s endorsement, stated, “This meant a lot to me. You’re not going to have to worry about the border anymore, governor… you’re not going to have to worry about the border in Texas or Arizona or anywhere else.”
Since Biden assumed office in 2021, U.S. border agents have made over 5 million arrests of migrants making irregular crossings over the U.S.-Mexico border. Migrants from various parts of the world, including Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela, have sought refuge, driven by economic and political challenges.
Trump has committed to addressing both illegal and legal immigration if elected in the upcoming year. His plan includes reinstating the “remain in Mexico” program from 2019, which required non-Mexican asylum-seekers to await resolution in Mexico rather than entering the United States immediately.
Biden terminated this program, aiming for more humane and organized immigration policies, but has faced challenges with record levels of migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border illegally.
Abbott has gained prominence among Republicans for his stance on border issues, implementing his Operation Lone Star border security initiative—a controversial plan to curb migration that has put his state at odds with the Biden administration.
