MSNBC interviewed Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas about why more illegal migrants than ever before are entering the U.S. He blamed climate change.
Greg Abbott of Texas took offense and lashed out against Mayorkas’ “pathetic” explanation for the border crisis, inflaming tensions further between climate policy and immigration issues. This public feud brought climate policy and immigration matters under closer scrutiny than ever.
Climate Change
As global temperatures increase, they will bring with them many climate changes – some hotter, some colder, wetter or drier in various locations.
Climate change will have a dramatic impact on Texas’ border security and economy, particularly coastal cities that may become more vulnerable to hurricanes and flooding due to warmer ocean waters storing more moisture that fuels storms by intensifying winds, making storms stronger than before.
Warming Texas will also result in more “ozone action days”, increasing asthma attacks and hospitalizations, while long, hotter heat waves strain energy resources and inhibit business productivity.
Global warming will also make Texas border region more appealing to migrants escaping Central American food insecurity and poverty, and some estimates predict up to 1.5 million climate refugees could relocate here by 2100; Austin-Round Rock area likely being one of their primary destinations. Climate migration would increase greenhouse gas emissions further exacerbate climate change impacts.
Illegal Immigrants
The state’s new law, set to take effect in March, would give police powers to arrest migrants for trespassing while local judges can order them out of Texas. It is part of Governor Abbott’s efforts to test federal authority and stop illegal immigration; furthermore, this measure makes illegal migration illegal between Mexico and the US illegal.
Greg Abbott harshly criticized Mayorkas’ comments on MSNBC where he blamed record migrant apprehensions last December on climate change – calling his explanation an indefensible one and “pathetic excuse.”
Rodriguez-Sanchez conducted an analysis that suggests deporting Texas’ estimated 65,000 illegal residents would cost taxpayers over $2 billion, including public school, higher education, health care costs for those whose children have enrolled as well as imprisonment expenses. Furthermore, these taxpayers generate over $7 billion of economic activity across Texas annually.
Politics
Recently, Texas has been at the forefront of national political news for various reasons. Texas led in revoking Covid-19 mask mandates and discouraging conversations around systemic racism within schools while passing laws allowing firearms without permits – among others.
As the southern border crisis intensified, House Republicans initiated a movement to impeach Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. But despite these attempts at impeachment, Mayorkas says his removal wouldn’t make much of a difference to how many refugees and migrants entered into America through various pathways.
He joined us to explore whether we have the political will and wisdom to address our problems, as well as to learn what Texans want from Austin, Washington and local governments: foster children needing homes; rural residents requiring hospitals and better infrastructure; prisoners who struggle in cities and suburbs alike.
Texas
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas took to X, formerly Twitter, to criticize Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s harsh statements against sending migrants by bus and plane directly into sanctuary cities as a way of lessening border towns’ burdens. Abbott responded by labeling Mayorkas “pathetic” for attributing climate change as the cause for immigration crisis – sparking further discussion over asylum policy between state and federal officials which has serious ramifications for both countries – according to Miriam Jordan of The Wall Street Journal who reports this story with photo credit from Getty Images as reported here as well. Video can also be seen here