Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) is facing harsh criticism from numerous Christian organizations who are expressing their concern about his border policies, calling his treatment of migrants “inhumane.”
Abbott has been increasingly facing backlash for the way migrants are being handled at the Texas-Mexico border. Last month, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against Abbott due to the contentious “circular saw” buoys installed in the Rio Grande. The lawsuit alleges that Texas’ immigration policies not only violate federal law but also neglect humanitarian and diplomatic considerations.
These buoys are part of Abbott’s multi-billion-dollar initiative known as “Operation Lone Star.” Among other strategies employed to secure the border are the use of razor-wire fencing, the arrest of undocumented migrants on trespassing charges, and the transportation of migrants to out-of-state “Democrat-run” cities via buses. Earlier this month, a tragic incident occurred where a 3-year-old boy died on a migrant bus journey from Texas to Chicago. This event has led some critics to describe Abbott’s policies as “barbaric.”
An online petition titled “Take a Stand Against Greg Abbott’s Inhumane Treatment of Immigrants” is encouraging Christians to call on Alejandro Mayorkas, the Secretary of Homeland Security, to take action towards reuniting families that have been separated due to Abbott’s policies.
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As of Sunday morning, the petition, shared by Faithful America, had garnered over 10,000 signatures. The petition highlights that Abbott is a Catholic and goes on to accuse him of disregarding both Catholic social teaching and the welcoming message emphasized in the Gospels. The petition encourages Christians to sign it as a means to spotlight the apparent inconsistency between Abbott’s actions and the teachings of Jesus.
“As Americans and members of the Christian organization Faithful America who believe in the moral duty to welcome those in need, we call on the Department of Homeland Security to immediately reunite families separated by Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s cruel policies, consolidate their removal cases with their families’ cases, and exempt separated families from the asylum transit ban,” the petition states.
It goes on, “Gov. Abbott is using inhumane and potentially deadly measures to scare asylum seekers away from our nation’s southern border,” it continues. “While we are grateful that the Department of Justice is investigating this harmful initiative, there is much more that the federal government can do to right the wrongs being perpetrated by Gov. Abbott’s administration. We ask you to act now.”
Governor Abbott also recently faced criticism for sending a busload of migrants to Los Angeles during a period when California was bracing for the impact of Tropical Storm Hilary.
In response, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass referred to Abbott’s decision as “cruel,” highlighting the fact that he chose to “endanger vulnerable migrants, including families with young children, by directing a bus to a city that was currently under an unprecedented tropical storm warning.”
Andrew Mahaleris, a spokesperson for Abbott, defended the decision, saying that the bus route was “rerouted” with caution in mind to ensure the safety of all passengers on board.
