‘Nothing but a Bunch of Lies’: Texas Governor Abbott Slams Biden Administration Official Over Border Crisis

In his comments, he accused Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas of lying to Congress when he said the border was secure, saying Texas has had to step up in the federal government’s place to help secure it.

“What Mayorkas has said is nothing but a bunch of lies,” said Abbott. Abbott asserts that Mayorkas is now a proven liar, as evidenced by his impeachment proceedings over saying the border was secure.

He was previously impeached in February by the US House for “willful and systemic refusal to comply” with immigration law, and for saying the border was secure. GOP Senators are demanding that a full trial be held for Mayorkas.

“He has taken a bad situation and actually accomplished an amazing feat. He’s actually made it worse, not better. Not only that, he’s violated the public trust by repeatedly lying under oath to Congress and the American people. If these aren’t impeachable offenses, I don’t know what would qualify. Secretary Mayorkas must be held responsible for his actions,” said Republican Senator from Texas John Cornyn.

“With the authorities and the funding that we have, it is as secure as it can be,” Mayorkas said on Tuesday. In the hearing, he also made comments saying he did not “recall” admitting earlier in the year that 85% of migrants apprehended at the border are released into the US.

“The Biden administration has not secured the border. What SB4 does, is to authorize Texas to assert the powers that Congress has given to the federal government,” Abbott said. “Now let me be clear about this, Congress has passed three laws, not one that requires the President to detain anybody or try to deter anyone from entering the country illegally.”

“Texas is trying to step up and enforce by state law, the same law that Congress passed which is to deny illegal immigrants, detain people who enter the country, and build border walls. Biden is doing none of those three things,” said Abbott.

This surge to the top of the list comes amidst record-breaking migrant border crossing numbers that peaked in December.

Since then, US Border Patrol says the number has been declining thanks to increased attention to the issue and enhanced enforcement, but still remains high.

One consideration floated around is the “nuclear option,” where Biden would dramatically curtail the number of asylum-seekers who can cross the border with executive power.

Biden previously called upon Congress to pass something to help with border security, but a border bill has been unable to escape the Senate. Donald Trump took credit for killing one of them.

“Congress should do its job and it hasn’t,” a White House spokesperson told Axios. “No executive action, no matter how aggressive, can deliver the significant policy reforms and additional resources Congress can provide and that Republicans rejected.”