Republicans Move to Block Biden From Forcing Migrant Families to Remain in Texas

Republican lawmakers have vowed to stop the Biden administration from forcing some migrant families to remain in Texas while awaiting their initial asylum screenings.

The Times reported last week that the administration was considering the “remain in Texas” idea, which would involve tracking migrants’ locations using GPS monitoring devices such as ankle monitors. Immigrant advocates criticized the plan, calling it punitive and misguided.

Republican leaders, including Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, have said they would attempt to block the policy should it be instituted.

“It should be ‘remain in Mexico,’ not ‘remain in Texas,’” Abbott said Monday on Fox News. “We have a lawsuit ready to go that will eliminate this threat by Joe Biden if he dares try to pull the trigger on it.”

Abbott has bused thousands of migrants to Democratic cities including New York and Los Angeles since 2022 and promised to send more should the Biden administration attempt to enforce the policy.

In Washington, Texas Republican Rep. August Pfluger introduced an amendment to a government funding bill that would prohibit the Department of Homeland Security from spending any money to advance the “remain in Texas” plan. {snip}

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