The president is planning to announce executive action on border security this week, and some mayors from Texas are planning to attend. The announcement could be made as soon as Tuesday before Joe Biden heads to France to mark the 80th anniversary of DDay.
The mayors of Brownsville and Edinburg say they are traveling to Washington D.C. for the announcement. The Associated Press is reporting the mayor of Eagle Pass, where Governor Greg Abbott has announced plans for a permanent base, was not invited. AP says the mayor of McAllen was invited but could not attend.
The White House has not confirmed a time for the announcement or given details about the president's plans, but they could involve limits to the number of people allowed to seek asylum.
The executive action may seek to let the president stop allowing migrants if daily encounters reach a certain level for a full week. The White House has accused Congressional Republicans of "standing in the way of additional border enforcement," saying they blocked a measure earlier this year that had gained bipartisan support.
"As we have said before, the administration continues to explore a series of policy options and we remain committed to taking action to address our broken immigration system," the White House wrote in a statement.
Governor Greg Abbott says the state's own border security effort is leading to additional arrests. Texas deployed state police and the National Guard to the border in 2021 for a project called, "Operation Lone Star."
Since then, Abbott's office says they have made 512,300 apprehensions, 43,400 criminal arrests and filed 38,200 felony charges. His office says law enforcement has also seized 487 million lethal doses of fentanyl.
Last week, Abbott attended the opening of a permanent camp in Eagle Pass. Three hundred National Guard soldiers are now moving in with 300 more expected to arrive in the next few weeks. The National Guard says the base could ultimately house up to 2,000 people.
The Texas Military Department says the base will save money on fuel and housing. Since launching the operation, the department says hotel rates have increased 30%. By opening the base, the Texas military says it could save $11.5 million a month on housing.
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