Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott sent a letter to newly appointed border czar, Vice President Kamala Harris, urging her to take action in the face of the humanitarian crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border.
Abbott calls on the Biden-Harris administration to allow Texas DPS to interview minors being held at the federal facilities in search of information about the rampant human trafficking and crimes at the border.
“I want to express to you the threats and challenges caused by this administration’s open border policies. These policies embolden and enrich cartels, smugglers, and human traffickers who continue to ramp up their criminal operations,” Abbott wrote to Harris on Tuesday.
Since the beginning of the year, more than 11,000 unaccompanied minors have been stopped at the Texas border and there are over 18,000 immigrant minors in the government’s care, according to Abbott. The surge in numbers throughout March has led to overcrowded, inhumane conditions in the federal minor facilities, Abbott wrote in the letter.
“Given your new role as the administration’s Border Czar, I urge you to visit the border to see the crisis for yourself.”
President Biden‘s open border policies invite children to take a dangerous trek that exposes them to human trafficking.
Even Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas admitted that many children don’t make it through without harm.
Americans deserve answers to these questions: pic.twitter.com/veMuuRYVZc
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) March 31, 2021
The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) launched Operation Lone Star to tackle the border crisis in early March. The operation takes action to protect Texas from smugglers bringing in both people and drugs. Abbott decided to expand the operation to also combat human trafficking at the border, according to the letter. (RELATED: ‘Humanitarian Disaster’: Gov. Abbott Shocked By Conditions In Migrant Facilities)