Ted Cruz Moves to Thwart Biden Admin Plan by Introducing the SHIELD Act
Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and other Republican senators introduced a bill on Tuesday to extend Title 42, a provision that allows the U.S. to turn away illegal immigrants at the nation’s southern border due to the risk of their spreading COVID-19.
The Securing the Homeland from International Entrants with Life-threatening Diseases, or SHIELD, Act would continue the public health protections enacted in March 2020, according to Fox News.
During an interview with the outlet on Tuesday morning, Cruz said, “Title 42 has been an integral and extremely successful measure to protect America’s borders and our people during the COVID-19 pandemic.”
He added, “If the Biden-Harris policy for open borders is intended to reverse the Trump Administration’s success in securing our border, encourage illegal immigration and create an unprecedented crisis, it’s certainly working.”
Fox News reported Sens. Josh Hawley of Missouri, Tom Cotton of Arkansas and Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty of Tennessee co-sponsored the bill.
New Mexico Republican Rep. Yvette Herrell will introduce a similar bill in the House, the report said.
According to a June Axios report, the Biden administration wants to eliminate Title 42 by the end of this month.
“Details of internal discussions relayed to Axios show top administration officials have suggested Biden seize the initiative by ending the order, which has been sharply criticized by immigration advocates and many of his fellow Democrats,” the report said.
In addition, it said, “A White House official told Axios it’s ‘a public health decision that will be made ultimately on those grounds,’ adding the administration would not get ahead of any CDC determinations.”
During a July 1 interview with Sean Hannity on Fox News, Cruz also noted the failure of the Biden administration regarding the border.
“It’s complete lawlessness at our southern border because Joe Biden refuses to enforce the Rule of Law,” the senator said.
It’s complete lawlessness at our southern border because Joe Biden refuses to enforce the Rule of Law.#BidenBorderCrisis pic.twitter.com/okIwWMv2be
— Senator Ted Cruz (@SenTedCruz) July 1, 2021
On June 1, Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued a disaster declaration regarding the immigration surge along the state’s southern border.
“President Biden’s open-border policies have paved the way for dangerous gangs and cartels, human traffickers, and deadly drugs like fentanyl to pour into our communities,” Abbott said.
“Meanwhile, landowners along the border are seeing their property damaged and vandalized on a daily basis while the Biden Administration does nothing to protect them. Texas continues to step up to confront the border crisis in the federal government’s absence, but more must be done.
“By declaring a state of disaster in these counties, Texas will have more resources and strategies at our disposal to protect landowners and enforce all federal and state laws to combat criminal activities stemming from the border crisis. Working together with local law enforcement, the state will continue to take robust and meaningful action to keep our communities safe.”
“The Governor is authorizing the use of all necessary and available state and local resources to protect landowners in these counties from trespassers and the damage they cause to private property,” the announcement said.
The declaration also made it clear the state has the authority to arrest illegal immigrants and to discontinue the license of child care facilities detaining illegal immigrant children.
“The Governor has also directed the Texas Department of Public Safety to enforce all federal and state criminal laws, including criminal trespassing, smuggling, and human trafficking,” it said.
“The Governor directed the Texas Health and Human Services Commission to take all necessary steps to discontinue state licensure of any child care facility under a contract with the federal government that shelters or detains unlawful immigrants.”
Truth and Accuracy
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.
