The Republican governor made the decision to oppose the immigration reforms of the Democratic president Joe Bidenwhich earned him the support of the former president donald trump.
But while Abbott is running for a third term in Texas, conservative candidates challenging him in the campaign for the Republican nomination on March 1 argue that he is not yet tough enough on illegal immigration.
Allen West, a former Republican congressman, says Texas should arrest and deport migrants who enter the United States illegally, a power states don’t have if the federal government refuses to act. The “porosity of the border” shows how Abbott’s approach has failed, he argues.
Don Huffinesbusinessman and former state senator, wants to close Texas bridges with Mexico most incoming traffic and deploy the entire state National Guard to the border.
Abbott’s spokeswoman, Renae Eze, dismissed criticism of the governor’s immigration speech, saying Texas was forced to step up after Biden “abdicated” his responsibilities to safeguard the border.
While opinion polls show Abbott holding a sizable lead over West and Huffines, he is likely facing the most competitive gubernatorial primary of his career.
The attacks from his right flank show how even the most staunch Republicans on immigration are facing increasingly extreme pressure on the issue in the run-up to the US election.
Trump changed the party’s position on immigration after his successful campaign in 2016, promising to build a border wall and block the entry of refugees. The current election cycle shows that the tycoon’s influence persists even after he loses the presidency in 2020, with some candidates going even further.
“No issue grabs Republican attention like immigration and border security,” said James Henson, director of the Texas Policy Project at the University of Texas.
Republican primary voters apparently have a “unlimited appetite” for very strict immigration measuresHenson added.
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Around the 68% of Republicans in Texas say that border security or immigration are the main problems of the state, according to an October 2021 University of Texas poll. And while Republicans overwhelmingly approve of Abbott’s immigration policies, the polls suggest they want to see even more action.
The tougher border proposals from Abbott’s rivals demonstrate how Republican candidates are trying to outdo Trump on an issue that remains a powerful demand among the party’s primary voters, despite economic woes and tension over Covid-19 politics dominate the news.
And for Republicans in competitive primaries, a tough stance on immigration is a way to differentiate themselves without risking backlash from voters, said Alex Conant, a Republican strategist.
Republicans across the United States have made migration a major focus ahead of the November 8 midterm elections, where Democrats risk losing control of Congress, which would hamper Biden’s legislative agenda.
Candidates may tap into voter outrage over record attempts to cross the southern border and the cost of providing public services to migrants, a message amplified by conservative outlets like Fox News.
Liberal advocacy groups say Republicans are demonizing immigrants who come to the United States seeking refuge, distorting the economic effects and trying to capitalize on xenophobic fears about the fate of the country’s white majority.
Source: Ambito
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