WASHINGTON — Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas., condemned the crisis at the southern border and inhumane treatment of migrants attempting to cross into the United States, but did not pin the blame on Texas Gov. Greg Abbott in an interview Sunday.
Gonzales, whose district lies along Texas’ border with Mexico, said on CBS’ “Face the Nation” there is a “disconnect between what is happening at the top and the person at the ground that is doing the actual function.”
The Justice Department informed Abbott that Texas officials have until Monday to remove a floating barrier wall of buoys he recently approved in the Rio Grande Valley or else face a lawsuit. At the shoreline of the river are razor-wire barriers also put up at the instruction of Abbott. Critics have said the barriers are inhumane and pose a danger to public safety.
Abbott scoffed at the letter, writing on Twitter, “We will see you in court Mr. President.”
Gonzales said “the border crisis has been anything but humane” but added that he thinks Abbott is doing what he can to secure the border.
“I think you’re seeing how desperate a situation is happening in Texas,” Gonzales said, calling for his fellow lawmakers to act on the issue. “We cannot just wait on the president to solve things. We can’t wait for governors to try to fix it themselves. Congress has a role to play in this.”
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State troopers were reportedly ordered to push migrants attempting to cross the river back into the water and deny them drinking water in extreme heat. Gonzales on Sunday slammed the treatment and said it was “not acceptable.”
“Everything that is happening along the border is just adding fuel to the fire because … you’re having people at the very top say one thing and the people down at the ground do another,” he said.
“The governor no doubt is doing everything he can to secure the border,” Gonzales added, laying the blame on lower ranked officials.
In a letter to President Joe Biden last week, more than 80 Democratic lawmakers led by Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, attacked the border policies as “barbaric” and “putting asylum-seekers at serious risk of injury and death.” The letter also took aim at the floating barrier wall, which could pose an increased risk of drowning for migrants who attempt to cross the Rio Grande
Gonzales said he did not “think the buoys are the problem” since “we’ve seen people drown last year, there were hundreds of migrants that are drowning,” adding that the buoys occupy a small portion of the river.
