Crisis at the Border: A Conversation with Texas Governor Greg Abbott

Faced with an unprecedented volume of illegal border crossings in March 2021, Texas Governor Greg Abbott launched Operation Lone Star, a multiagency effort to ease the mounting burden on communities in his state by deterring unauthorized migration. In addition to deploying the Texas National Guard and state troopers to the Texas-Mexico border and building strategic barriers, Governor Abbott began busing thousands of migrants to sanctuary cities outside Texas, including Washington, D.C., Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York.
Since April 2022, the Texas busing operation has transported over 38,000 migrants across the U.S., including over 14,000 to New York City. Destination cities have been buckling under the pressure of meeting the needs of these and other new arrivals, raising larger questions about the Biden administration’s approach to immigration enforcement and how state and local governments can address this growing crisis.
How has Governor Abbott’s approach to border security changed over time? How can we break through the partisan logjam at all levels of government to set up an immigration system that deters illegal crossings and contributes to America’s economic, civic, and cultural vitality?
On Wednesday, September 27 at the Yale Club in New York City, we heard Governor Abbott deliver brief remarks and outline a vision for resolving the border crisis. The Governor then engaged in a wide-ranging discussion with Manhattan Institute President Reihan Salam.

[@alexanderblackthorn4757]

My grandmother who was a US citizen, moved from Mexico to Texas and worked 8yrs to fix everyones papers to move LEGALLY to the USA. Years later I married a woman from Mexico and yet again I worked hard and put in the necessary paperwork and payed the necessary fees and above all waited patiently unti it was our turn. This Oct we have our 2 part meeting for her to get her residency to enter the USA. She had of course her tourist visa to travel and visit the U.S. and it could've been easy for her to just enter, stay and hide within the USA. But we wanted to do things correctly and above all LEGALLY. I am a Mexican/American and I do not see it correct that my grandparents and I had to pay thousands of dollars to do things correctly and here are people just running across and demanding such rights while breaking the law.

[@donnabrown4470]

God bless Texas Governor Abbott ❤️ from Texas 🇨🇱

[@Veronica-kd2ky]

Great job, Governor Abbott!

[@rica967]

God Bless Gregg Abbott

[@marisa9162]

Bravo, Manhattan Institute. And bravo Gov. Abbot! Tremendous leadership! Keep going

[@Rivas789]

Those wire barriers are not working.

[@Bob-bb3ur]

Because the border agents are cutting the wire and letting the illegals in.

[@bohunt9587]

High voltage electric fence, the only way to keep them OUT. Signs in Spanish & English (get within 2 feet you DIE). Problem solved. Biden loves electric 😅

[@michellembarre5032]

❤ABBOTT!!!! ❤ Man of Steel! President for 2024!

[@larryquiroz6818]

How dare you make fun of he’s legs like that they are made of titanium like Lt. Dan

[@annrivera9884]

??

[@timedmonds3]

Colorado has capacity for migrants, send them There

[@brodykin3505]

Pretty sure Colorado is full of illegals already, just like NM, AZ, NC, and every other state. Pushing people from point a to point b is pretty pointless.

[@PistonHonda87]

Just send them back to their country.

[@annrivera9884]

No,send them back 🏡!

[@alvind5515]

Scary to think that if Beto were elected, this would have been an even bigger disaster.

[@ivancampbell8123]

Sow hat is the point to have a Asylum legislation passed by Congress that says that in order to seek asylum the individual must be at the border of port of entry. That is the law so why they are seeing that they are illegal I just dont get it

[@brodykin3505]

The Fed is violating existing laws, and its recent policies are unlawful, as was the case under Obama as well. It is unlawful to be passing through multiple countries when seeking asylum. Most are coming for work, or to engage in criminal activity, and also to escape law enforcement in their own lands. Millions already need to be deported, and millions more must be stopped from crossing before they incur trillions of expenses to American tax payers.@@ivancampbell8123

[@joseywales1150]

Dude how about just closed the door and deport!! Halt all legal and illegal immigration, we have homeless on the street!!

[@morgannawhitehead2647]

Please Beto would done so much better than this idiot.

[@Sneaky-Sneaky]

Nice educational piece! Thank you….

[@mikeofstedahl8041]

IF THE RULE OF LAW IS NOT BEING FOLLWED WHY CANT YOU JUST FOLLOW IT.. WHY DO YOU NEED BIDEN.. ONE WAY OR THE OTHER..

[@zoomanx9661]

AND THAT’S HOW YOU KICK SOME ASS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@michellebarre5397]

I came to Texas 22 years ago-way before this state was popular. I didn't expect to stay. I did "stick" around! I bought the boots and decided NY was never home like TEXAS. Come to Texas with a skill and your own P 2 P in!!! This isn't a handout state! YOU HAVE TO WORK HERE! I LOVE TEXAS! I LOVE MOST OUR REPS WHO UPHOLD THE CONSTITUTION>we have fighters here! Thank you G Abbott!

[@joshuayelapi6793]

Isn’t Manhattan institute open borders?

[@garypugh1153]

Bus all invaders to delaware please.

[@annrivera9884]

No,send them back 🏡!

[@grantb4999]

Thank you

[@jonathanmcgown7996]

So sad texas is going God help us

[@donnabrown4470]

Where's Texas going?

[@bohunt9587]

Great job, Governor Greg Abbott ❣️ PLEASE load up more busses. Thank you!

[@sham8470]

Gos bless Governor Abbott, love from 🇵🇰

[@RobertKinne-lh8wn]

But i just saw a boarder patrol agent just say he didn't have the stomach for this work anymore so he just turns his bavk an let's em in

[@RobertKinne-lh8wn]

Yes but who cut the wire.under what penalty just cause you tell me to do it doesnt make it right

[@brucestans2415]

It's number zero California border and Texas is number one for border more migrants .

[@madcrabber1113]

Send them to Rehoboth Beach and Hockessin Delaware.

[@elisabethminthorn1794]

Biden did not end title 42, the Supreme Court did.

[@tracy6947]

But Congress set asylum and Refugee laws in place

[@RobertKinne-lh8wn]

How about the spoon fed questions which is not a forum

[@RobertKinne-lh8wn]

Your not sending enough buses to Washington dc let our leaders see the mess first hand more buses to dc more more it gets cold there too

[@americanlivesmatter-BmanWild]

Mandatory free dental benefits and $30 per hour for police officers required to fight 185k illegal immigrants alone #GovAbbott #texas

[@vanquishdelnorte3689]

Independence now 🌵🌵Texas🌵🌵

[@nicolebass4352]

DAMN SKIPPY, Sport ! FREEDUM 4 Tejas Y'all...Please Let em Go , Congress & President Biden ! They Will finally reach across the aisle working together ! Amen 🙏

[@user-zk4ls2hn5j]

Where is nm at?

[@robertcampbell3900]

God bless Gov Abbot

[@InteractiveDNA]

One word! FB

[@RobertKinne-lh8wn]

You need to send thousands to Delaware forget Martha's Vinyard send thousands an thousands to Delaware an dc

[@JonRaborn-gp4ff]

Mobile loaves & fishes inc. To remember, that because he ,jesus-christ lives ,we live in texas. texas 2024 texas. The saint david's foundation texas.

[@CynthiaGreene-il1fe]

GOVENER ABBOTT for PRESIDENT

[@user-ql2ko1fs8v]

2A CALL TO ARMS AMERICAN PEOPLE!! ENOUGH OF THE BULL SHIT!

[@SuggahBrown]

All I can say is wow.

[@trirail812productions8]

WHY NOT GO TO NEW YORK YOU GET FREE PIZZA BUT THEY SHOULD NOT NEED JOE WHY CANT GREGG OR MEXICO CALL THR SHOTS

[@RobertKinne-lh8wn]

You keep saying at war but your not

[@melissastreeter22]

Bring in the snipers.

[@Suzuniyukai]

u just openly said illegal immigrants should be killed.. maybe you should be too smh what a wacko belief 🙄

[@JonRaborn-gp4ff]

The time of the first printings & publication's of the holy bible in western europe : texas the year of our good lord ,king & savior jesus-christ of Bethlehem Nazareth isreal ,the year 342-862 AD.texas 2024 the year of george jettison's texas. the nyse texas.

[@JoseReyes-wo2lm]

( yes , there is a crisis! Lights are always going out, have a reset all appliances 3 or 4 times a week! Yes , there is a crisis, we need to replace our governor Greg Abbott!)

[@georgenish]

Send them to the democrat state of Hawaii.

[@GAB8407]

Hawaii SUFFERED ENOUGH ✋️ because of Biden! Fires set by his GREEDY AND EVIL corporate real estate dictators💵

[@JonRaborn-gp4ff]

The saint david's foundation texas. That we all should, spead the word & make it loud & heard ,to those that have an ear let them hear .texas aclu.tx. Mobile loaves & fishes inc.