Vought, Cuccinelli Statement on Abbott Border Strategy
Center for Renewing America President Russ Vought and Senior Fellow for Immigration and Homeland Security Ken Cuccinelli released the following statement on Governor Abbott’s border strategy:
“The ongoing illegal immigration crisis along our southern border has exploded into a full-blown national security and humanitarian disaster, and the Constitution provides a firm foundation for states to act decisively in the absence of the federal government performing its duty to protect the states from invasion under Article IV, Section 4 of the U.S. Constitution.
“There can be no disputing that the documented influx of well over 1.3 million illegal immigrants this calendar year alone, and thousands of pounds of fentanyl and other deadly narcotics, facilitated by the widespread human trafficking efforts of violent cross-border international drug cartels, constitutes both an invasion and an ‘imminent danger as will not admit delay’ for purposes of Article I, Section 10, Clause 3 of the U.S. Constitution.
“We call on Gov. Abbott and other border governors to enact emergency measures–beyond the scope of what has been undertaken to this point–to fill the void by: ending the invasion at the U.S. southern border, restoring both order and sovereignty, and protecting their citizens.
“While Texas’ National Guard units have been activated, the Texas State Guard should also be deployed and empowered by Gov. Abbott with specific orders to detain and return illegal border crossers back into Mexico, turn back attempted illegal border crossers to Mexico at the border, and further defend against cartel operatives, human traffickers, and drug mules moving deadly fentanyl and narcotics into American towns and communities through the border states.
“It is imperative for Gov. Abbott to emphasize, as part of these measures, that the United States Constitution supersedes federal statute. The Constitution makes clear that state governments are not impotent in light of the federal government’s continued willful refusal to carry out its constitutional obligations to the individual states.
“We call on Gov. Abbott to lead the way on finally securing our borders with these decisive policy actions.”