LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders will be joining Texas Governor Greg Abbott and 12 other Republican governors in Eagle Pass on Sunday to further discuss border control and immigration enforcement legislation.
This upcoming meeting between the governors comes as U.S. lawmakers are working on drafting bipartisan legislation to address the rise in border crossings Mexico which reached an "all-time high" in December of 2023.
In a set of posts on social media, Gov. Sanders pushed back against President Biden and instead urged for a reinstatement of the Remain in Mexico policy. She also pushed for building a wall enforcing pre-existing immigration laws.
Despite rising tensions between members of each party, there have been efforts towards a deal tackling border and immigration legislation.
According to U.S. officials, Border Patrol made 249,785 arrests on the Mexican border in that time span, which is 13% higher than the previous all-time high of 222,018 arrests tallied a year prior in December of 2022.
Officials with U.S. Customs and Border Protection released a statement on Jan. 26, 2024 where they announced that the arrests of migrants had fallen by over half during the first two weeks of January. The group said that this decline was "consistent with historical trends and enhanced enforcement."
The issue of border protection and immigration enforcement have been points of contention for lawmakers in America, most notably between the Biden administration and Texas.
One of the biggest disputes between the two sides came in the form of razor wire, which Texas is using to deter migrants from entering the U.S. The battle between Texas and the Biden administration even landed in front of the U.S. Supreme Court, where justices deliberated on whether Texas should be permitted to continue cutting razor wire to install at the border.
Much like other lawmakers in the U.S., members of the Supreme Court were split on the issue but in a 5-4 vote they decided in January to give Border Patrol the green-light to cut and clear out the razor wire that Texas installed along the banks of the Rio Grande.
“Texas’ political stunts, like placing razor wire near the border, simply make it harder and more dangerous for frontline personnel to do their jobs,” White House spokesperson Angelo Fernández Hernández said after the Supreme Court's ruling.
Despite the court's ruling, Gov. Abbott said that Texas had a "constitutional right to self-defense," with the state still putting down additional razor wire to the border.
The implementation of razor wire has been a polarizing topic as there have been reports of migrants being injured due to the sharp wires. Additionally, officials with the Justice Department argued against the razor wire, noting that the barrier also interferes with the U.S. government's ability to properly patrol the border — a duty which also includes aiding migrants that have been injured or are in need of any help.
The wire reportedly stretched for approximately 30 miles near Eagle Park, which has become an active immigration area along the southern U.S. border.
In the ongoing dispute between Texas and the federal government, Abbott announced that he would prohibit federal agents from entering Shelby Park, which is near the Rio Grande and deemed to be a crucial corridor for migrants crossing into the U.S.
The state seized control of Shelby Park in January and prevented Border Patrol agents from entering the park afterwards. Following that restriction, members of Homeland Security sent a letter to Texas and Gov. Abbott on Jan. 23, 2024 demanding that they regain access to Shelby Park.
Tensions continued to grow between the two sides as Homeland Security also alleged in January that Texas denied federal agents access to a portion of the border, preventing them from saving 3 migrants that were drowning.