Supreme Court sides with Biden administration: Eagle Pass, Texas has become the focal point of an increasingly intense conflict between federal and Texas authorities on the best way to address the migrant problem and who has jurisdiction over that section of the US-Mexico border. The Texas National Guard placed 29 miles of coiled razor wire on the border. Republican Gov Greg Abbott ordered this to stop what he considers an “invasion” of undocumented migrants. But this wire blocked off access to the federal border patrol agents. The agents responded by cutting parts of the wire, and Texas retaliated by suing the federal government for trespassing. Federal attorneys cited how a woman and two children drowned to death at the border, as an example of the agents couldn’t pass through the wire and provide assistance. The Republican-controlled Supreme Court surprised many when they sided with the Biden administration, on a 5-4 decision, allowing federal agents to cut through portions of the wire if they deem it necessary.
Significance: This decision reinforces the idea that only the federal government has authority over immigration into the nation. The large number of border crossings is something Republican politicians are eager to put on display as it is a political liability to Biden especially in an election year. Many republican governors have shared their support for Texas’s actions, some going as far as joining Abbot on the border. However, many criticize Texas’s actions as inhumane as large amounts of migrants were injured or killed, including women and young children, because of these tactics.
Border and Ukraine deal: On Sunday, Senators unveiled a long-awaited package worth $118 billion, which combines border enforcement measures with assistance for Ukraine, Israel, and other U.S. allies. However, the package faced immediate resistance and opposition from prominent House Republicans, including Speaker Mike Johnson. This bipartisan bill took months to negotiate and was expected to have a key test vote later this week. However, within hours of its release, Johnson stated it would be “dead on arrival.” Even though this deal proposed the harshest immigration restrictions in decades, many Republicans are predicted to block the legislation, as they believe it doesn’t do enough to secure the border.
Significance: Republicans in Congress had specifically stated that aid for Ukraine had to come with a crackdown against immigration, but then rejected the deal. This emphasizes how bipartisan cooperation for immigration in an election year is virtually impossible in the current political state of the U.S. Without this deal, Ukraine will not receive any further aid from the U.S. The aid the U.S. has provided so far is believed to have significantly pushed back against Russia’s invasion.
