In a surprise move, Gov. Greg Abbott has rejected a proposal put forward by President Joe Biden, in which he had urged the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to partner up with the Texas government to conduct the COVID-19 tests for families crossing the Texas border. The rejection comes amidst the rising controversy regarding the unprecedented influx of COVID-19 positive patients in Texas.
The proposal was rejected by Texas Governor Greg Abbott. He claimed that instead of working on stricter border controls, the Biden Administration has shown inefficiency by asking Texas to assist them in aiding the illegal immigration program. He said this practice will turn the U.S. into a ‘magnet’ for illegal immigrants.
This proposal and its rejection came to light after reportedly 108 migrants in Brownsville, Texas was tested positive for coronavirus on arrival in the country. Many of them had already dispersed into other states.
The Biden Administration is already facing a sudden surge in the migrant drive at the borders as it has revived the practice of catching and releasing the migrants into the interior of the United States. This practice was abolished by the Trump Administration.
Republicans have been highly critical of the immigrant policies of the Biden Administration. It is also reported that a sharp increase has been observed in the number of unaccompanied children at the border, which the Administration is totally clueless as to tackle this issue.
Abbott’s spokesperson has claimed that the screening, testing, and quarantining at the borders was solely the responsibility of the federal government and that he was not interested at all to help them in the process. He further said that the unconscionable act by the federal government of releasing the COVID-19 positive individuals has put the lives of Texans and Americans in danger.
Press Secretary for White House Jen Psaki has termed the claims made by Governor Abbott as ‘inaccurate’. She defended the Biden Administration’s policies. Psaki said that the government wanted to work with local bodies and NGOs to streamline the process of screening, testing, and isolating the Covid-19 positive individuals. She said regardless of the status, all the migrants are required to observe social distancing, and to follow all the security measures in place to ensure that the spread of coronavirus is curtailed.
