Democrat Representative Voices Concerns
“It is our job,” she said, referring to Congress. “We have failed over and over again.”
“I do worry that Democrats will get blamed simply because the president is in the White House,” she added.
When pressed about whether she fears Biden will face political consequences for the crisis, she responded, “I hope not, but I’m afraid of that.”
Abbott Signs Legislation to Address Border Crisis
Escobar’s comments come just after Texas Governor, Abbott, signed legislation allowing state law enforcement to arrest migrants who cross the border illegally.
At the signing ceremony, Abbott said the goal of Senate Bill 4 was to “stop the tidal wave of migrants into Texas.”
Once in custody, migrants could either agree to a Texas judge’s order to leave the U.S. or be prosecuted on misdemeanor charges of illegal entry.
Migrants who do not comply could face arrest again under more serious felony charges.
Record Number of Migrant Encounters
Fiscal Year 2023 has seen an alarming increase with more than 2.4 million migrant encounters at the border.
September saw a record for encounters at the southern border, and the following month saw a record for encounters in October, with more than 240,000 encounters border-wide.
Congress Remains Deadlocked
Congress remains deadlocked over potential border legislation.
Biden and fellow Democrats have refused to negotiate on the issue, leading to Ukraine funding contingent on first addressing the crisis at home.
Fox News’ Bradford Betz contributed to this report.