Thread by @chiproytx

THREAD re: Tx role combatting #NationalBorderCrisis. Summary: Feds refuse to enforce, Tx leadership has fought back (in court & with $/rhetoric/action), Tx still getting crushed & b/c feds abandon Constitution, Tx must consider going farther, extraordinary measures. Read… (1/23)

…Clearly it’s the job of the fed govt to secure the border & the Constitution (Artlce IV, Section 4) guarantees a Republican form of govt & to protect against invasion. Yet, @JoeBiden & Mayorkas are willfully (& impeachably) refusing to faithfully execute the laws - e.g… (2/23)

…they refuse to: enforce MPP (Return to Mx) - now ignoring federal court order to do so, refuse to use full Title 42 (COVID) (reducing its use significantly even BEFORE court ruling, which now refuse to fight), refuse to devote necessary resources to @CBP & @ICEgov… (3/23)

…refusing to designate cartels as terrorist organizations, refusing to take steps to keep BP agents on the line (over 50% off, doing processing), back-dooring a bill with massive amnesty & expansion of green cards, & actively choosing to allow COVID positive folks entry… (4/23)

…all resulting in direct harm to Texans. A few: thousands of pounds of Fentanyl pouring in - killing Texans; Criminal aliens coming in to Texas (50 known murderers); Ranchers’ fences cut - costing thousands, livestock out costing thousands, bodies of migrants found… (5/23)

…including 90 in Brooks County alone, 75 in Del Rio Sector, hundreds more… which Texas counties must fund $3000 autopsies & many $5000 burials… An explosion in Sex & Labor human trafficking, stash houses proliferating, car chases, home break-ins, threats to citizens… (6/23)

…about that Fentanyl? - Some 300 lbs caught by DPS in our communities, 9500 pounds intercepted by BP/LE - enough to kill millions & is, in fact, killing young folks (92,000 opioid deaths last year). Local PD finding kids taking XANAX or Pot, dying b/c laced w/ Fentanyl… (7/23)

…So, Texas leadership has been pushing back rhetorically, in court, & @TxDPS has been standing in the gap (literally), & should be roundly applauded for that. The #TxLege passed $3 billion in appropriations to help stand in that gap. Specifically, HB9 includes: $301mm… (8/23)

…to the Tx Military Dept for add’l personnel; $154.8mm to @TxDPS for #OperationLoneStar, for surge costs, replacement tactical marine units, & additional intelligence personnel; $273.7 million to the @TDCJ for increased corrections costs; $1.02bb for Tx Fence… (9/23)

…@GovAbbott worked with @TxDPS to put operation lone star in place, worked with @DanPatrick & @DadePhelan to pass appropriations, & has been rhetorically hammering the administration - while @KenPaxtonTX & his @TxAG team has been suing to force the feds to do their job… (10/23)

…Such as the recent win in which Judge Kaczmaryk ordered the administration to return to executing the MPP (Return to Mexico) program. These efforts are all great steps, the right thing to do, and to be 100% clear, our Texas leadership should be applauded for it… (11/23)

…BUT, our state remains in an emergency situation, & getting damaged by the day… & NOT just recent events in Del Rio involving rush of Haitians. No, mit’s the daily destruction of our homes, families, & security… evidenced by fact we have now crossed 1.4 million… (12/23)

…individuals intercepted… w/ record 208,000 in August - all BEFORE the rush of Haitians. & Cartels (CJNG - absorbing much of CDN/Zetas, Reynosa/Gulf) are empowered as never before, making 100’s of millions of $ moving people/narcotics for $ & w/ much presence in Tx… (13/23)

…this is REAL. This is getting worse, & is entirely out of control. The fact is all the efforts by Tx so far, while significant & deserving of praise (given it’s not even our job), is still a bandaid on a gunshot wound. Texans must do what it takes to secure our state… (14/23)

…So as #TxLege convenes, & as #OperationLoneStar continues - in Washington those of us in the minority are left to message with no recourse… other than pressuring 6 or so Democrats. This is why I introduced a discharge petition on 4/20 to discharge @RepHerrell’s bill… (15/23)

…to force Title 42 to be fully enforced. 0 Democrats, 149 GOP have signed… w/ 63 GOP still missing & GOP leadership hasn’t whipped it. Now a federal judge says Title 42 can’t apply to families - absurd. @HouseGOP should force Democrats to take stance on discharge… (16/23)

…should discharge @RepAndyBiggsAZ bill to force MPP (& force Dems on that issue)… and refuse to support any funding or any other bill whatsoever while our border is being purposefully left open. And the @SenateGOP should throw sand in all gears Dems try to move… (17/23)

…but in Texas, we have to come to grips with fact our communities are in danger because the federal government refuses to do its Constitutional duty. Therefore - we have an obligation to push back & must take action irrespective of Biden/fed orders… (18/23)

…we should 1) maximize the guard, law enforcement, volunteers willing to go, & hold the line & turn people away / back to Mexico regardless of what the feds say, 2) Request support from every state in the union (to extent not already) to hold the line… (19/23)

3) Take specific steps, with whatever personnel necessary, to track & ensure all persons apprehended by the feds a) get deported under Title 42, b) are in ICE custody & get a hearing and (90%+) get deported, or c) get shipped out of Texas (perhaps DC, San Francisco, NY)… (20/23)

4) pressure Mexico as a state to work with Texas to carry out MPP and to work with us to knock knees out from under cartel(s) in Taumalipas… and 5) if all else fails - shut the border down, including highways. The Texas federal delegation (in the House & Senate)… (21/23)

…should offer all support possible - but Texans need to know, there has been ZERO effort by Democrats (with some exception by Henry Cuellar) to take any steps to end this crisis with actual security, & seem unlikely to do so. So this is why Tx is forced to decide… (22/23)

…what extraordinary measures to take. I stand ready to work with @GovAbbott, @DanPatrick, @KenPaxtonTx, @DadePhelan, #TxLEge to do whatever it takes to secure Tx. We cannot allow this to continue “until the next elections.” (23/23) #NationalBorderCrisis is a #TexasBorderCrisis