Baker, GOP governors want sit-down with President Biden over border crisis

By Matt Murphy

With migrants, many seeking refuge from Haiti, flocking to the southern border to gain entry to the United States, Gov. Charlie Baker has joined 25 other Republican governors to request a meeting with with President Joe Biden to discuss how to end the “national security crisis” on the border.

The governors sent a letter to Biden on Monday asking for a sit-down with the president within the next 15 days, suggesting the current situation in places like Texas are the result of “eight months of unenforced borders” that are creating health and safety risks in states from Montana to New Hampshire.

“The months-long surge in illegal crossings has instigated an international humanitarian crisis, spurred a spike in international criminal activity, and opened the floodgates to human traffickers and drug smugglers endangering public health and safety in our states,” the letter read.

The governors, led by Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, said border apprehensions are up 500 percent over last year totaling 1.3 million and 9,700 people apprehended have prior criminal convictions. The governors also said that more fentanyl – 10,500 pounds – has been seized this fiscal year than during the last three years combined.

“Not only has the federal government created a crisis, it has left our states to deal with challenges that only the federal government has a duty to solve,” they said. Vermont Gov. Phil Scott was the only Republican governor not to sign the letter, which was shared by the Republican Governors Association. “Our immigration system may be complicated and complex, but the solution to ending the border crisis is simple and straightforward. As President, you have the ability to take action to protect America, restore security and end the crisis now,” the governors wrote.