Governors in U.S.-Mexico border states largely absent on migrant family separation

Madlin Mekelburg , Richard Ruelas | El Paso Times

Show Caption Hide Caption A look inside the largest immigration processing center in the U.S. The roughly 77,000 square-foot warehouse-like processing center in McAllen, Texas is the first stop for those detained by agents in the Rio Grande Valley Sector. On Sunday, June 17, 2018, more than 500 families and 197 unaccompanied minors were being housed there.

The separation of migrant children from their families at the border was denounced by five first ladies, prompted millions of dollars in donations and drew rebuke from religious leaders across the country.

The backlash was so pronounced that President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Wednesday intended to keep migrant families together.

But the governors who represent the states along the 2,000-mile border between the U.S. and Mexico had been largely absent from the national conversation.

Governors in Texas, California, Arizona and New Mexico were late to join the chorus of politicians calling on the Trump administration to end the separation of families under its "zero tolerance" immigration policy. Although the Texas Tribune reported on Wednesday that Texas' governor had sent letters to members of the state's congressional delegation urging them to take action on immigration.

"This disgraceful condition must end; and it can only end with action by Congress to reform the broken immigration system," Gov. Greg Abbott wrote. He could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

The governors, three Republicans and one Democrat, made brief general comments but faced criticism from groups who wanted them to take a more active role in denouncing the separation of families.

More: A look inside Texas shelters for unaccompanied minors, including Tornillo's 'tent city'

Republican Gov. Doug Ducey of Arizona said at a press conference on Friday that he thought there was a “better way” for the federal government to order its priorities on the border, but stopped short of criticizing the policy.

"I don't want to see children separated from their parents,” Ducey said. “My heart breaks for these families. At the same time, we need to look at the role of parental responsibility when an adult is approaching our border conducting illegal activity with a child."

About 100 people rallied outside the Arizona Capitol in Phoenix on Tuesday, braving 100-degree heat to protest Ducey’s general policies, but specifically calling on him to denounce the policy separating families.

The same day, Ducey told Phoenix radio station KTAR-FM that he receives a daily briefing about the situation. But he said most of the “activity” was happening in Texas. He added that while the separation of families seems unnecessary, border agents have a job to do.

The zero tolerance policy, enacted by the administration in April, heightens criminal penalties for immigrants seeking asylum or crossing the border illegally. Children, who are not charged with a crime, cannot be detained with their parents.

Since May, 2,342 children had been separated from their parents after entering the country from Mexico. About 12,000 children are in the custody of the federal government, according to Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen. Of those, about 10,000 crossed the border without their parents, she said.

Trump had said previously that the separation crisis was not something he had the power to change, but on Wednesday he signed an executive order to end the family separation.

The order directs the Department of Homeland Security to keep immigrant families together while continuing to enforce the new zero tolerance policy.

More: DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen says 'loopholes' in law separate families at the border

Some lawmakers have called on Ducey, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and California Gov. Jerry Brown to cancel deployments of National Guard troops to the border in light of the separations.

Trump in April ordered the deployment of thousands of National Guard troops to the border to crack down on illegal crossings. Troops working at the border now were sent to aid Customs and Border Patrol agents by overseeing non-law enforcement efforts.

So far, governors in states that include Maryland, New York and Massachusetts have announced their intention to withhold or reverse their National Guard deployments.

Leaders in California, Texas, Arizona and New Mexico have made no such promise.

A spokesman for Brown said in an email that the governor will not change his plans as they relate to the National Guard's efforts on the border.

More: Trump administration is separating migrant parents from children. What you need to know

Brown has not commented on the latest debate over family separation and a spokesman referred questions about his stance to a statement the governor issued earlier this year.

“I do think just breaking up families like that is callous," Brown said in a January statement. "It's very insensitive.”

More: Jerry Brown to keep National Guard deployment amid backlash to family separations at border

In Texas, Abbott, who was elected governor in 2015, has historically supported more stringent border security measures and has repeatedly called for more state and federal resources to go toward law enforcement efforts at the border.

He applauded Trump's decision to send troops to the border in April.

More: Experts say Trump border wall, National Guard announcements seek to satisfy his supporters

Abbott, who frequently takes to Twitter to share his opinions, has recently posted tweets about judicial appointments, incoming rainstorms and the new "First Puppy of Texas."

He has not shared any social media posts or issued statements about family separation, even as other prominent Texas Republicans including Sens. John Cornyn and Ted Cruz have called for an end to the practice.

At least two state lawmakers wrote open letters to Abbott asking him to respond to the separation policy by stopping state border security efforts, canceling deployment of the National Guard or confronting federal officials on behalf of the migrant children.

Abbott touched on the separation issue during an interview with NBC 5 of Dallas on Friday at the 2018 Texas Republican Convention in San Antonio.

When asked about the ongoing separations at the border, Abbott said it is "horrible and it rips everybody's hearts apart."

He did not call on the administration to end the practice of separation.

"We are always going to be plagued with challenges, with complications, with issues on the border, unless and until Congress steps up and passes immigration reform and fully funds border security," Abbott said in the interview. "And the two go hand in hand and so this is Congress’ responsibility. They have talked a whole lot about it, it is now time to take action."

More: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott urges congressional action on separated immigrant children

More: US mayors to visit Texas to protest separation of immigrant children under Trump

Republican Gov. Susana Martinez of New Mexico also did not return requests seeking comment.

In an interview last week with the Albuquerque Journal, Martinez said that people shouldn't be allowed to break the law "simply because they have children."

“As a prosecutor for 25 years, if your parent went out and robbed a store with a gun and stole money because they needed to buy drugs, we arrested that individual and that individual went to jail and arrangements were made for that child, the best arrangements,” Martinez said.

More: Martinez supports family separation policy

Las Cruces Sun-News editor Lucas Peerman and Palm Springs Desert Sun reporters Rebecca Pelvin, Samuel Metz and Evan Wyloge contributed to this report.

Madlin Mekelburg is a reporter with the USA Today Network Austin Bureau; she may be reached at 512-479-6606; mmekelburg@elpasotimes.com; @madlinbmek on Twitter.