US President Biden versus Texas: Much more than a dispute over barbed wire

For months, the Biden administration has been arguing with the governor of Texas over securing the border between the US and Mexico. Now things are coming to a head – because for Biden it’s about much more.

Barbed wire continues to be installed on the banks of the Rio Grande near the border town of Eagle Pass in Texas – to ward off migrants. Texas is simply securing the border, said the country’s Republican governor, Greg Abbott, on Fox News.

But with the barbed wire that has already injured migrants, Abbott is defying a decision by the US Supreme Court. At the beginning of the week, the Supreme Court judges decided with five to four votes: The government under President Joe Biden can have the barbed wire removed by Federal Border Patrol officials. A success for Biden.

But Abbott denied federal officials access to the area. Texas has the right to stop criminals from coming to Texas, he says. In principle, border security is the responsibility of the federal government, but the federal states are also responsible for implementation.

Abbott has numerous supporters

Abbott accuses Biden of allowing migrants – and therefore criminals – into the country in an uncontrolled manner. And Abbott has support. 25 of 26 Republican governors have pledged support to Abbott in a letter. South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem said on Fox News that Abbott was doing exactly the right thing. If he needed more barbed wire, she would send him some from South Dakota if necessary.

The dispute between Republicans and Democrats over US immigration laws that has been going on for years is now coming to a head during the election campaign. It is a central issue for Donald Trump. The ex-president announced just a few days ago that he would close the border and stop the invasion on day one.

Decision also on aid to Ukraine

Trump knows how important limiting migration is to his supporters. Under no circumstances does he want Democrats and Republicans in Congress to agree on a deal negotiated in the Senate that is intended to curb illegal migration. Trump’s fear that Biden will sell this as a success for himself is too great.

Biden has now again appealed to Congress to approve the deal, which also includes new aid to Ukraine. The Senate’s migration proposals represent the “toughest and fairest reform package to secure the border” that the US has ever had, said a statement from Biden.

His spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre had previously said it was up to the Republicans in the House of Representatives. They would have to decide whether they wanted to solve a problem.

Biden now emphasized that the compromise deal would give him new emergency authority as president to close the border if it was overloaded. It is unlikely that this will convince the Republicans in the House of Representatives and – against Trump’s wishes – they will agree to a deal after a possible agreement in the Senate. And Texas’ Governor Abbott is unlikely to be impressed either. For now, the barbed wire on the banks of the Rio Grande remains where it is.