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McALLEN, Texas (Border Report) — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott plans to host 12 state attorneys general at a South Texas “border security briefing” on Thursday in Weslaco, his office said.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is among those invited, as well as:
- Alaska Attorney General Treg Taylor
- Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge
- Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody
- Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita
- Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt
- Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch
- Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt
- Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen
- Oklahoma Attorney General John O’Connor
- South Dakota Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg
- Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes
- West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey
The event will be held at DPS headquarters and DPS Director Steve McCraw also will deliver remarks, Abbott’s office said in a statement.
Paxton also has invited the 12 other state attorneys general to remain in South Texas for a tour of the border on Friday, his office told Border Report.
The attorneys general are to tour the region and meet with officials in the border cities of McAllen, Edinburg and Weslaco in Hidalgo County, as well as Rio Grande City in neighboring Starr County, over two days, Paxton’s office said Wednesday.
They’re coming “to witness first-hand accounts of the massive influx of illegal immigrants that are currently affecting, not only Texas, but our entire country,” according to a statement from Paxton’s office.
Friday’s event is being held on the same day that another weekend border rally, the “We Stand America,” rally kicks off in McAllen and Hidalgo. The event is being hosted by several conservative, anti-illegal immigration groups, including Women Fighting for America, Veterans for America First, and Latinos for Trump, according to the Women Fighting For America’s website.
Border Report asked Paxton’s office if his border event is connected in any way with the We Stand for America rally, however were told to wait for more information. This story will be updated if additional information is received.
The We Stand for America rally includes a private VIP reception at an undisclosed ranch in the Rio Grande Valley for high-dollar donors to the event, according to event literature posted online. Attendees at the reception are to include former U.S. Customs and Border Protection Acting Commissioner Mark Morgan, who served under President Donald Trump, and retired Gen. Michael Flynn.
Paxton’s office says the 12 invited attorneys general will be given a tour of the border wall, as well as boat tour of the Rio Grande.
Paxton is running for re-election and on Wednesday also issued a six-page “guidance packet” listing court rulings and national immigration policies to help local law enforcement, border property owners and “concerned Texans” during what he calls “a border crisis.”
“Ill-conceived immigration policies created by the Biden Administration have wreaked havoc on our communities and placed a massive burden on our country,“ Paxton said in a statement.
“I want to thank our local, state and federal law enforcement officials and my fellow attorneys general, who attended the summit, for making this issue one of their top priorities. This affects them too. Every state in the country is a border state. I will not allow this looming crisis on the border to continue to bring violence, drug cartels, and human trafficking to our communities,” Paxton said.
Earlier this month, the Travis County District Attorney said Paxton violated the state’s open records law by refusing to turn over communications from Jan. 6, 2021, when he appeared at the pro-Trump rally in Washington, D.C., that preceded the attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Sandra Sanchez can be reached at ssanchez@borderreport.com.
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