Texas Gov. Greg Abbott Visits Israel

A few days ago, I had considered writing an article about Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s recent decision to become the first Republican governor in the United States to turn down refugee resettlement, but something came up and I never got around to it.

New York Post:

“No mas!

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, blaming Congress for “a broken federal immigration system,” took President Trump up on his offer allowing states to bar refugees — making Texas the first to do so.

The Lone Star State has been the nation’s top destination for refugee resettlement for more than a decade, Abbott said Friday in a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

“Since FY2010 … roughly 10% of all refugees resettled in the United States have been placed in Texas,” Abbott complained. “Texas continues to have to deal with the consequences of an immigration system that Congress has failed to fix.” …”

Maybe not all Republicans are so bad.

Maybe we can vote for the GOP to reform the system.

If the Trump administration’s policy on refugee resettlement that made Gov. Abbott’s decision possible hadn’t just been struck down by a federal judge, 3.5% of Republican governors would have broken with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce on the issue.

Texas Tribune:

“A federal judge temporarily blocked a Trump administration policy that would have allowed governors, like Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, and other local leaders to prevent refugees from resettling in those areas.

The Wednesday decision from Maryland-based Judge Peter J. Messitte comes just days after Abbott became the first and only state leader to opt out of the program. Officials had until Jan. 21 to inform the State Department whether they would participate in the program after the Trump administration imposed the deadline in a September executive order. At least 42 governors, including Republicans, said they would accept refugees.

“By giving States and Local governments the power to veto where refugees maybe settled — in the face of clear statutory text and structure, purpose, Congressional intent, executive practice, judicial holdings, and Constitutional doctrine to the contrary — [the order] does not appear to serve the overall public interest,” Messitte said in his ruling. …

Asked Monday about Abbott’s decision, the state’s senior senator, Republican John Cornyn, said he may have a “private conversation with the governor on that.” While he said he can understand why Abbott made the decision, he also said that “legal immigration is a good thing.” …”

Sen. John Cornyn of Texas who is up for reelection in 2020 supports refugee resettlement.

Huffington Post:

“WASHINGTON – Texas Sen. John Cornyn on Wednesday gingerly broke with Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a fellow Republican, after the governor rejected the official resettlement of refugees in their state under a new Trump administration option. …

“I think I understand what his concern is,” Cornyn said. “We’ve got this flood of asylees coming into Texas, which has burdened our public education and health care and law enforcement institutions. So I think he feels we’ve borne the brunt of that and so he’s unwilling to take on additional burden.”

“But I think refugees are different than asylees,” Texas’ senior senator added. “That’s something I’ll have an opportunity to have a conversation with him about. But I think it’s his call.” …”

Gov. Greg Abbott couldn’t be reached for comment. Following up on the anti-BDS bill he signed in Texas last May, he is currently out of the country on important business in Israel:

Today I prayed at the Western Wall in Jerusalem that God will continue to bless Israel and that God continue to strengthen the bond between Texas and Israel.

May peace and prosperity continue to bless our two peoples. pic.twitter.com/3rTu6KuMl7

— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) January 16, 2020

Cecilia & I visited the U.S. Embassy in Israel at its NEW location in Jerusalem.

Thanks ?@realDonaldTrump? for moving it to its rightful location.

Thanks to ?@USAmbIsrael? David Friedman for the kind hospitality. pic.twitter.com/2S9wBV4qQD

— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) January 17, 2020

Visiting tonight with Israel Prime Minister @netanyahu about historical locations in Jerusalem.

We shared our commitment to freedom and security for Israel and the United States. pic.twitter.com/XPOvC755xA

— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) January 16, 2020

If the polls are to believed, he is one of the most popular politicians in Texas. Like George W. Bush and Rick Perry, he is doing a heckuva job presiding over the demographic transformation of Texas. When Texas goes blue in the 2020s, the whole country goes blue.