WLBT-TV Jackson
Reeves one of 20 governors demanding action from Biden on southern border
By Sharie Nicole
JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - Governor Reeves and 19 other governors signed a letter calling on President Biden and Vice President Harris to take action on the “crisis” at the southern border.
The letter begins by saying, “Dear President Biden and Vice President Harris, We call on you to take action on the crisis at the southern border immediately. Contrary to statements from your Administration, the border is neither closed nor secure. In fact, the Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) reports a staggering surge in recent crossings: 172,000 encounters in March, the highest number in nearly 20 years, as well as 18,890 unaccompanied children, the largest monthly number in history.”
The letter says, “the crisis is too big to ignore and is now spilling over the border states into all of our states.”
Last month, The White House said President Biden does not believe it’s a crisis for children to cross the border seeking refuge.
In March, Senators Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS) and Ted Cruz (R-TX) were among a group of 19 Republicans that visited the U.S.-Mexico border. Local and state leaders in Mississippi agree this is a considerable problem along the southern border, but no one agrees on the solution.
The letter goes on to read, “Beyond the humanitarian crisis, the lack of border security is a criminal one, threatening the safety of American citizens. The CBP reports a 233% increase in the seizure of fentanyl compared to January last year, exacerbating the nation’s opioid epidemic. Law enforcement officials are recovering drugs, illegal narcotics, and weapons being smuggled across the border by cartels. The same cartels are also trafficking men, women, and children and jeopardizing their lives.”
It ends by urging the president and vice president to “take action to end the humanitarian crisis and secure our southern border immediately.”
Read the full letter to Biden here.
Other governors signing the letter represent Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Tennessee, Idaho, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming.
As of Wednesday, President Biden has not released an official statement in response to the letter.