Many of Alabama’s political leaders are speaking out about their concern over the current rush of migrants at the southern border due to the expiration of Title 42.
While President Joe Biden and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas say the situation is under control, the political leadership in the Yellowhammer State isn’t buying it.
“I, along with my fellow Alabamians, are gravely concerned as the Biden Administration ends Title 42 which has successfully halted millions of illegal crossings,” said Gov. Kay Ivey on Twitter. “What we see now is chaos, and preventable chaos at that.
“Here at home, we have been working hard to ensure the safety and protection of our citizens. Law enforcement in Alabama continues to combat criminal activity stemming from illegal immigration, and that will absolutely remain our mission going forward.
“Folks, America deserves better than this crisis, and frankly, so do our immigrants.”
I, along with my fellow Alabamians, are gravely concerned as the Biden Administration ends Title 42 which has successfully halted millions of illegal crossings. What we see now is chaos, and preventable chaos at that. #alpolitics (1/3)
— Governor Kay Ivey (@GovernorKayIvey) May 11, 2023
Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth also criticized Biden’s “open door border policies,” which he said are “destroying our country.”
Joe Biden’s open door border policies are destroying our country, abandoning our national security, promoting human trafficking, and killing untold numbers of Americans with fentanyl flooding in from Mexico. It’s almost as if he’s collaborating with our enemies to weaken the USA.
— Will Ainsworth (@willainsworthAL) May 12, 2023
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall said on Fox Business that Biden shouldn’t have ended the Remain-in-Mexico policy.
“The reality is the the Remain-in-Mexico policy worked,” he said. “It kept people on the outside of this country waiting for their asylum hearings, and the reality is right now that our border patrol agents are simply going to be processing paper, giving individuals access to our country for years at a time before they are ever adjudicated on their asylum claims. And the reality is we don’t know where they’re going, we don’t know where they’re going to work, and they’re going to be a stress on our social service systems across our country.”
Marshall said the rising drug and crime problems in Alabama and across the country are a direct result of the current border crisis.
“[W]e’re seeing the loss of life that I believe is directly attributable to the border policy of this administration,” he said. “We’re also seeing criminal activity. We’ve heard stories of individuals charged with sexual crimes involving children that have had three or four illegal border crossings, still be able to come into this country and be able to return quickly after they’re returned to Mexico.”
This President should have listened to Alabama and other states when we fought to preserve Title 42 and the Remain-in-Mexico policy. This is a crisis of his own making. Elections have (sometimes devastating) consequences. https://t.co/lhbVugUZ0T
— Attorney General Steve Marshall (@AGSteveMarshall) May 12, 2023
Alabama Speaker of the House Nathanial Ledbetter said the state will take its own actions in protecting Alabamians from the results of this issue.
“Without Title 42 and zero guidance from the Biden Administration on secure immigration policies,” Ledbetter said, “we’ll take our own measures to protect Alabama’s communities from guns, drugs, and violent crime pouring across the southern border.”
Without Title 42 and zero guidance from the Biden Administration on secure immigration policies, we'll take our own measures to protect Alabama's communities from guns, drugs, and violent crime pouring across the southern border. #alpolotics pic.twitter.com/a9POQbeWgG
— Nathaniel Ledbetter (@RepLedbetter) May 12, 2023
Yaffee is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts “The Yaffee Program” weekdays 9-11 a.m. on WVNN. You can follow him on Twitter @Yaffee
