Mayorkas Vs. Abbott: Clash Over Immigration Crisis Escalates As Homeland Security Secretary HURLS Accusations

Mayorkas' frustration seems to stem from Abbott's and other Republicans' rejection of President Biden's timely explanations regarding the crisis at the southern border.

As the upcoming election looms, and with illegal immigration becoming an increasingly urgent issue for Americans, Biden and his administration have started to suggest that the resolution to the border crisis primarily lies in the hands of congressional lawmakers. This suggestion comes at a time when Congress is predominantly Republican.

Mayorkas, who has been supervising the illegal entry of over seven million foreign nationals into the US since January 2021, was impeached last month for his deliberate and systematic refusal to comply with immigration laws. Despite this, he continued to promote the administration's preferred narrative on CNN's "State of the Union," stating, "administrative action is no substitute for an enduring solution. ... Legislation is the enduring solution."

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Last month, reports suggested that the Biden administration was contemplating executive action on the border, including potentially limiting illegal immigrants' ability to claim asylum once in the US. However, when questioned about whether the administration would consider a temporary solution, Mayorkas remained elusive.

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Instead, he hinted that his superior, President Biden, who stopped the construction of the border wall during his initial days in office, was more or less powerless to take significant action. "As a matter of fact, former President Trump tried to close the border, and it was enjoined in the courts and never saw the light of day," Mayorkas said. "The reality is that Congress needs to act, and President Biden said that Congress needs to get a spine."

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In response, Abbott, on CNN's "State of the Union," refuted Biden's claim that he needed Congress to act on the border issue, calling it "completely false." He argued that existing laws, passed by the US Congress, empower the executive branch to deny illegal entry, detain illegal immigrants, and mandate the president and his administration to construct border barriers. Abbott accused the president of not utilizing his executive authority to enforce these existing laws.

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"The president doesn't need new laws. The president needs a backbone to make sure that he enforces the immigration laws that are already on the books," Abbott added.

When confronted with Abbott's remarks, Mayorkas responded to CNN's Dana Bash, "Couldn't be more wrong, couldn't be more wrong." He accused Abbott of intentionally refusing to cooperate and communicate with other officials and causing chaos in other cities and states across the country. This echoes accusations he made earlier this year.

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Mayorkas seemed to be referring to Abbott's busing initiative, which exposed Democrat-run sanctuary cities to the challenges that Texas and other border states have long faced. "That is not a model of governance, and he couldn't be more wrong," Mayorkas added.

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While Mayorkas accused Abbott of causing chaos, his department and the Biden administration have consistently opposed Texas' efforts to secure its southern border. For example, it was Mayorkas' department that issued a cease-and-desist letter to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in January regarding Texas' attempts to prevent foreign nationals from entering the country via Shelby Park in Eagle Pass. The Biden Department of Justice also tried to stop Texas from maintaining a floating barrier on the Rio Grande.