Texas Gov. Abbott releases action plan to deal with recent surges at southern border

Governor Greg Abbott appeared with Republican governors from across the country at the southern border Wednesday.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott appeared with Republican governors from across the country at the southern border Wednesday.

He released a so-called "action plan" to deal with the recent surges at the border.

Gov. Abbott continues to blame the Biden Administration for the situation at southern border.

There were 26 governors who worked on an immigration action plan that was discussed. Only the Republicans were at Wednesday's event.

Critics called Wednesday's maneuver more political theater from Abbott.

"Were here to announce ten actions that President Biden must take immediately," Abbott said.

Gov. Abbott was joined in Hidalgo County by nine fellow Republican governors as he released an action plan he said can stop the immigration problem plaguing the southern border.

"We saw exactly what happened in Del Rio, Texas, just last month. We know that chaos will be repeated unless President Biden takes action," Abbott said.

In September, thousands of Haitian migrants huddled under an international bridge in Del Rio seeking asylum.

"Immigration is a national security problem," said Dr. Robert Sanders, chair of the national security department at the University of New Haven.

Sanders said "root causes" need to be addressed in order to keep people from fleeing their countries.

He said that takes bipartisan support.

"How do we get there? Well, if we all identify the problem in the same way, that would be a start. And that's not what we've been able to do because of what you started with the politics of it," he explained.

Noticeably absent at the news conference were any of the democratic governors who helped to draft the immigration action plan. Gov. Abbott explained some of the action items from the plan.

"The Biden Administration must reinstate the remain in Mexico protocols, which require asylum seekers to remain in Mexico while awaiting their court hearing," Abbott said. "The Biden Administration must finish securing the border, which includes among other things, finishing the border wall."

There is $3 billion in Texas taxpayer money being used to fund border security.

"We can't wait for Washington to do it. We don't need their permission to protect Texas, that's the bottom line," DPS Director Steve McCraw said.

Sanders said Gov. Abbott and Texas may want to consider a different approach.

"The guys with the big money and the big ability to help is the federal government. It's better to partner with than fight," he said. "And Governor Abbott, for whatever his ultimate goals are, needs to understand that Texas is going to be a part of that."

Gov. Abbott also called on Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkus to resign, saying he's abandoned his job.

There’s been no reaction yet from the White House.