Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott said President Biden’s travel ban on South Africa over the Omicron breakout is “hypocritical,” as illegal migrants continue to enter the country freely through the Southern border.
“Biden banned travel from South Africa because of the new Covid variant. Immigrants have recently been apprehended crossing our border illegally from South Africa,” he tweeted on Sunday. “Biden is doing nothing to stop immigrants from South Africa entering illegally. Pure politics and hypocrisy.”
On Nov. 26, Biden issued an order suspending entry of immigrants and nonimmigrants to the United States from South Africa and seven other African countries, while the new Omicron variant of COVID-19 rages through the continent.
“Over 50 illegal immigrants from South Africa and other South African countries under the Biden travel ban have been apprehended by CBP this year, with 18 being apprehended this month alone,” Abbott snarked on Monday. “Biden’s open border policies must end.”
Abbott’s office criticized the White House’s immigration policies in a scathing statement the same day. “President Biden’s hypocritical handling of legal travel and border policies has shown the world that the United States is open—as long as you enter illegally,” the statement began.
“Coming from over 150 countries around the world, including countries covered under the Biden travel ban, President Biden’s hands-off approach to our southern border has opened the floodgates to a 61-year record-high number of illegal immigrants surging into our state,” Abbott’s office continued.
The statement touted Abbott’s efforts to combat the Southern border crisis despite lacking resources from the federal government. “Until President Biden stops the hypocrisy and does his job, Texas will continue stepping up to secure the border and protect Texans.”
“Since Governor Abbott launched Operation Lone Star in March, the National Guard and DPS have apprehended over 80,000 migrants and arrested 9,700 who committed a state or federal crime, including smugglers and human traffickers, to crack down on illegal crossings of migrants,” his office concluded.
Abbott will face off against Democrat challenger Beto O’Rourke in the upcoming Texas gubernatorial race in 2022.
