On Tuesday’s broadcast of MSNBC’s “Chris Jansing Reports,” New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) said that “traffic is way up at ports of entry, risk is up at ports of entry. I have 180 miles of open border,” but critics who say President Joe Biden’s border order is just politics and is too little, too late aren’t acting and are “allowing other border governors to close ports of entry, which means billions of dollars of trade and food to New Mexicans doesn’t come over.”
Grisham said, “Well, my realistic expectation is that we motivate Congress to do their work here. It’s going to take more than this executive order. But, practically, on the ground, look, traffic is way up at ports of entry, risk is up at ports of entry. I have 180 miles of open border, very few people are coming across, too many still. This means that we curb that and we surge resources where I need them most. New Mexico needs this concentration so that we’re getting the bad actors, we’re protecting folks who are trying to seek asylum through an organized process, and we’re getting Congress to do the rest of the work. We, frankly, need more resources.”
Later, host Chris Jansing asked, “And to critics who say, look, the President had said from the very beginning he was going to do something, even if you count the time since the border bill failed…it’s been months and months, he’s only doing this because he’s taking a look at the polls that show that Donald Trump is making inroads with Latino voters, making inroads with many voters in critical battleground states, what do you say to them when they say, this is too little, too late?”
Grisham responded, “I say that the President is taking action, you’re not. And while those political critics will use whatever political statement that moves attention from the fact that they’ve made New Mexicans less safe, that they haven’t funded more Border Patrol agents, that they’re not using other high-tech security measures, that they’re allowing other border governors to close ports of entry, which means billions of dollars of trade and food to New Mexicans doesn’t come over. I want a President that, regardless of what critics will say, will do the right work in the moment that demands it. That’s exactly what he’s done here. And you’re right, and so is everybody else, more needs to be done. And I’ll keep fighting that fight with Congress and I’ll keep working with this administration, doing everything in our power until people come to their senses in Congress and pass comprehensive immigration reform.”
Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett
