SHANNON: GUESS WHO’S AT THE BORDER *NOW*
TRUMP: “WE HAD THE BORDER SO CLOSED, THE BEST EVER, AND NOW IT’S COMING THROUGH AT LEVELS THAT THEY’VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE, JUST POURING IN.”
SHANNON: FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP IS VISITING AN UNFINISHED PART OF THE WALL IN WESLACO, TEXAS.
HE’S THERE WITH REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR GREG ABBOTT…WHO HAS HUNDREDS OF REINFORCEMENTS ON THE WAY FOR SECURING THE BORDER.
THOSE TROOPS? THEY’RE ACTUALLY COMING FROM OTHER STATES.
AS OF TUESDAY, SOUTH DAKOTA JOINED NEBRASKA, FLORIDA, SOUTH CAROLINA, IOWA AND IDAHO IN SENDING STATE LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL DOWN THERE.
SOUTH DAKOTA’S GOVERNOR, KRISTI NOEM, SAYS, IN HER STATE, THE MOVE IS PRIVATELY FUNDED.
IT’S UNCLEAR HOW OTHER STATES ARE FUNDING IT.
BUT THE COLLECTIVE STATE EFFORT IS IN RESPONSE TO A LETTER GOVERNOR ABBOTT WROTE WITH ARIZONA GOVERNOR DOUG DUCEY EARLIER THIS MONTH.
IN IT, THEY ADDRESSED ALL THE OTHER GOVERNORS NATIONWIDE, ASKING THEM TO DEPLOY THEIR EXTRA RESOURCES. ALL BECAUSE “THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION HAS PROVEN UNWILLING OR UNABLE TO DO THE JOB.”
IF THAT CONCERN ABOUT BIDEN’S BORDER POLICY SOUNDS FAMILIAR, IT’S PROBABLY BECAUSE WE HEARD THIS JUST A COUPLE DAYS AGO AT TRUMP’S RALLY IN OHIO.
DONALD TRUMP: “I DON’T KNOW IF THEY’RE DOING IT OUT OF NAÏVETÉ OR ARE THEY DOING IT BECAUSE THEY THINK IT’S REALLY GOOD TO HAVE ALL OF THESE PEOPLE COMING INTO OUR COUNTRY. BUT THEY ARE PUTTING YOUR FAMILY INTO A VERY, VERY BAD POSITION.”
ALL THIS, JUST A WEEK AFTER VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS VISITED THE BORDER.
KAMALA HARRIS: “OUR ADMINISTRATION, IT IS IMPORTANT TO BE CLEAR, IS WORKING TO BUILD A FAIR AND A FUNCTIONAL AND HUMANE IMMIGRATION SYSTEM. WE FEEL VERY STRONGLY ABOUT THAT. AND AS YOU KNOW, WE INHERITED A TOUGH SITUATION.”
SHANNON: SO CLEARLY, THIS PRIORITY ISN’T GOING ANYWHERE FOR POLITICIANS. ESPECIALLY AS MOST OF THESE GOVERNORS INVOLVED ARE UP FOR RE-ELECTION IN 2022. THOUGH NOT ALL HAVE ANNOUNCED PLANS TO RUN.