House Republican Chip Roy expressed strong disapproval of former President Donald Trump’s immigration record, asserting that Trump failed to effectively address the issue, which he believes has contributed to the current immigration crisis.
Increase in Unauthorized Immigration
There has been a significant rise in unauthorized immigration along the U.S.-Mexico border in recent years. During the 2023 fiscal year, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) reported 2.4 million encounters with migrants, a notable increase from 1.7 million in 2021.
Roy’s Statements on Fox Business Network
Chip Roy, who is a supporter of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’s presidential campaign, made these remarks during his appearance on Neil Cavuto’s show on Fox Business Network.
Criticism of Congressional Republicans
Roy criticized fellow Republicans in Congress for allocating more funds to Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas and urged them to use their fiscal authority to pressure the Joe Biden administration into implementing stricter immigration policies.
Comparing Views to Those of Trump
Host Neil Cavuto drew a comparison between Roy’s position and that of Donald Trump, highlighting their shared emphasis on the need for a comprehensive border solution. This suggests a degree of agreement between Roy and the former president.
Agreement with Trump on Other Matters
Roy acknowledged that he agrees with President Trump on many other issues but strongly criticized his immigration policy. He specifically mentioned that in 2018, Trump, along with former Speaker Paul Ryan and others, failed to advance a border security bill that could have potentially prevented the current crisis.
Trump’s Use of Continuing Resolutions
Roy emphasized Trump’s signing of 12 continuing resolutions after initially stating that he would not sign any more without funding for the completion of the border wall. Roy believes that these actions have had consequences.
Support for Governor DeSantis
Roy expressed his support for Governor Ron DeSantis, praising him for achieving better results than any other politician he has witnessed in his lifetime.
Trump Campaign Responds
In response to Roy’s criticism, Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung suggested that DeSantis and his supporters were attempting to rewrite history due to their declining campaign prospects.
DeSantis Withdraws and Endorses Trump
Governor Ron DeSantis announced on Sunday that he is withdrawing from the Republican presidential race and endorsing Donald Trump.
Trump’s Immigration Focus in 2024
Donald Trump has made immigration a central theme of his 2024 election campaign, vowing to “immediately stop the invasion of our southern border.” His promises include ending birthright citizenship, deploying troops to the Mexican border, and cutting federal funding for the shelter and transportation of undocumented migrants.
Texas Attorney General’s Stance
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton recently declared that state authorities would not comply with a Biden administration order to stop blocking U.S. Border Patrol agents from accessing a specific area. Following Governor Greg Abbott’s instructions, Texas officials have been preventing federal CBP personnel from entering the Shelby Park area of Eagle Pass. This location is where, on January 12, a woman and two children tragically drowned while attempting to cross the Rio Grande River from Mexico.
Calls for Federal Assistance
In December, Democratic mayors from New York, Denver, and Chicago jointly appealed for increased federal assistance to manage the influx of migrants. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson stated that their cities were either at maximum capacity or running out of space.
