Multiple Texas lawmakers made brief statements condemning Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s (R) statements on not “shooting people” at the border.
Speaking to Dana Loesch, Gov. Abbott made inflammatory comments while describing the ways in which the Abbott administration has tried to deter and stop migrants from crossing the border.
“We are using every tool that can be used from building a border wall to building these border barriers to passing this law, that I signed, that led to another law sued by the Biden administration where I signed a law making it illegal for somebody to enter Texas from another country. And they’re subject to arrest and subject to deportation. So, we are deploying every tool and strategy that we possibly can.”
The governor got himself into hot water when he stated that the only reason he hadn’t used gunfire on any migrants was because of President Joe Biden’s probable response to that action.
“The only thing that we’re not doing is we’re not shooting people who come across the border because, of course, the Biden administration would charge us with murder.”
Texas Representative Joaquin Castro (D) blasted the Texas governor’s comments.
“This is hateful, dangerous, sick rhetoric from a sitting governor @GovAbbott in the United States of America.”
“These are desperate men, women and children seeking asylum in America — just as people from Europe and every part of the world have done for generations,” tweeted Rep. Castro about the migrants.
This is hateful, dangerous, sick rhetoric from a sitting governor @GovAbbott in the United States of America.
These are desperate men, women and children seeking asylum in America — just as people from Europe and every part of the world have done for generations. https://t.co/kiFRHp8E8f
— Joaquin Castro (@JoaquinCastrotx) January 12, 2024
Texas Representative Veronica Escobar (D) expressed her shock at the governor’s statements while tying his rhetoric to the 2019 mass shooting in El Paso, TX.
“I can't believe I have to say 'murdering people is unacceptable.' @GregAbbott_TX”
“It’s language like yours that left 23 people dead and 22 others injured in El Paso,”said Rep. Escobar.
I can't believe I have to say 'murdering people is unacceptable.' @GregAbbott_TX
It’s language like yours that left 23 people dead and 22 others injured in El Paso. https://t.co/4VzzMt43ta
— Rep. Veronica Escobar (@RepEscobar) January 11, 2024
Abbott continues to find himself in lawsuits regarding his border legislation. The governor recently shared his statement regarding New York Mayor Eric Adams’s (D) announcement that he has filed a lawsuit against the bus companies that the governor used to send migrants to New York.
“This lawsuit is baseless and deserves to be sanctioned. It's clear that Mayor Adams knows nothing about the Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution, or about the constitutional right to travel that has been recognized by the U.S. Supreme Court,” wrote Gov. Abbott in the statement.
