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Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott is coming under fire for his response to the deaths of what authorities now say are the deaths of 50 people found in San Antonio locked in a tractor-trailer that crossed the border into the United States. 16 people, including young children, were found alive and hospitalized.
It is being called “the deadliest migrant-smuggling operation in memory.”
“These deaths are on Biden,” the two-term governor running for re-election tweeted Monday night. “They are a result of his deadly open border policies. They show the deadly consequences of his refusal to enforce the law.”
Many on social media noted that if the border were “open,” migrants desperate to come into the U.S. wouldn’t have had to risk their lives in the back of an 18-wheeler in 101-degree Texas heat to do so. Some noted San Antonio is hours – about 150 miles – from the U.S.-Mexico border.
Others blasted Abbott for politicizing their deaths, treating them as a political “opportunity” instead of as human beings who died trying to find a better life. Some also noted Abbott has spent billions to deploy the Texas National Guard to the southern border, in what has been called a “campaign prop,” with little to show for it. (The Houston Chronicle in April put the cost to Texas taxpayers at $4 billion.)
By comparison, San Antonio mayor Ron Nirenberg called the deaths “a horrific human tragedy,” The New York Times reported. “The plight of migrants seeking refuge is always a humanitarian crisis.”
Abbott’s response elicited anger from many.
“So it’s not OK to politicize school shootings but it is OK to politicize migrant deaths? I see,” tweeted the LA Times’ Elvia Limón.
Republican turned Democrat Matthew Dowd:
what is wrong with you???? you are the governor of our state and you take zero responsibility for your inhumane policies at all levels.
— Matthew Dowd (@matthewjdowd) June 28, 2022
The communications director for the Libertarian Party did not hold back.
“I’m normally measured. Respectful. Not tonight,” tweeted Bekah Congdon. “Fuck you, Greg Abbott, you fucking monster. Why the fuck would people have to be smuggled into this country if we had anything resembling open borders? Are you as dumb as you are evil? Human lives. Political pawns to you.”
Others also expressed outrage:
FFS you’re right on brand Greg. If it’s open you don’t need to cram yourselves into a container to be smuggled across the border. #BetoForTexas
— From the other side of the mirror 🏴🇺🇸 (@jt1anglais) June 28, 2022
One of those times when the point is so obviously nonsensical and being used in such a grotesquely partisan, transparently opportunistic way that I don’t even have the energy to say anything to him.
— 🦎SwampLizard🦎 (@DiscoTempoJazz) June 28, 2022
If it was an “open border” they wouldn’t be sneaking in by truck.
Your thinking of Texas gun laws.— Will Pundit (@WillPundit4Food) June 28, 2022
That doesn’t even make sense. If crossing the border undocumented seas easy, this wouldn’t have happened. That’s the whole point.
Also where’s your fucking humanity? You don’t see the loss of human life as anything but political points to be scored. Ghoulish and sickening.
— Mikel Jollett (@Mikel_Jollett) June 28, 2022
Tell me again how this isn’t politizing death?
— WhatIfBarackOrHillarySaidIt (@IfBarack) June 28, 2022
Governor Abbott, you have spent over $1B of our taxpayer money to have the National Guard at the border for over a year. This truck came in through a major port of entry on YOUR watch. https://t.co/TmRSOhEAPX
— LunA 🇺🇦 (@thelunaticcz) June 28, 2022
I’m old enough to remember when Gov Abbott was disgusted that anyone would politicize the deaths of kids gunned down at a school. https://t.co/76L74FcaVT
— Scott Braddock (@scottbraddock) June 28, 2022
A cruel, repulsive statement from the governor of Texas. Not an ounce of humanity or empathy shown here. https://t.co/rbJUvtVF5o
— Keya Vakil (@keyavakil) June 28, 2022
These people simply are not going to help you build a culture that respects the value of human life. https://t.co/Z9lQDJWEYo
— Just look at that parking lot (@borrowedbones) June 28, 2022
Nope, this is on you & former President Trump, Biden administration fought to have Title 42 (remain in Mexico during asylum claims) lifted then lost in court. you fought to make it harder to get in, therefore more covert smuggling necessary.
— Cyndl (@cmtwx) June 28, 2022
This is a horrific take. If there were “open borders” then they wouldn’t have paid smugglers to shove them into a packed truck. Maybe it is the smugglers fault? The ones who abandoned the rig? I think all well-meaning people might actually be able to agree on this fact. https://t.co/R95DLQuEVf
— Juliette Kayyem (@juliettekayyem) June 28, 2022
Or, here me out you dimwitted excuse of a person, this is the result of having such a convoluted, difficult and unfair immigration system that human beings resort to risking, and losing, their lives packed like animals in their way to the slaughter house. https://t.co/GPxPDYxpwA
— Carlos Marcano, Dick Allen Stan (@camarcano) June 28, 2022
Yesterday I fell to my knees here in beautiful San Antonio…
It is all too much now with GREG ABBOTT…
This state is on a precipice…
The #UvaldeMassacre, now 46 migrants dying a savage death in the Texas heat…
***TEXAS is an INHUMANE HELLSCAPE for LATINOS.
ABBOTT has to go. pic.twitter.com/4WIKk3yUOl— Kathleen Vale (@SanAntoGuera) June 28, 2022
This is the most heartless, crass, inhumane, deplorable response I’ve ever seen to a tragedy of this magnitude.
For Greg Abbott, these lives mean only an opportunity to score political points by criticizing Biden. 46 lives lost — and he sees that loss as an opportunity. pic.twitter.com/h3j8N7spdG
— My dog thinks SCOTUS has lost any legitimacy. (@Mamaofthreebear) June 28, 2022
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