'Take Back Our Border' convoy leaves Denham Springs and heads for Texas
DENHAM SPRINGS, La. (WAFB) - A group of protestors is driving thousands of miles in the hopes of shedding light on the ongoing issue at the Southern border. Migrant crossings have surged over the last three years, with more than 750,000 undocumented crossings since the beginning of the year. Folks say they drove in from various parts of the country.
“When they said they were gonna cut the wire down there and let them start crossing the border again, nuh uh. They need to close the border,” said one protestor who drove down with his friend from Tennessee to meet the group.
What started in Virginia led to Jacksonville, Florida, and then to Denham Springs, waiting to be greeted by folks cheering for their cause. One of the event organizers wanted to make it clear that the group is not looking for violence, and only wants to see a peaceful solution.
“I’ve told anybody that’s a part of what we’re doing, we’re not about violence. If you are about that, you are not a part of us,” said organizer Y.G. Nyghtstorm. Federal agents are still being denied entry into Shelby Park, Texas, where the Texas National Guard has taken control of the border. President Biden gave Texas officials a deadline to stand down, which Texas Governor Greg Abbott said he refuses to do until the border is secured.
Since then, legal action at the federal level has been under consideration, and so far, more than half of state governors have come out in support for Texas, including Gov. Jeff Landry.
“We stand with Governor Abbott and Texas in reminding the federal government that under our constitution, states are still sovereign,” said the Governor in a video posted to social media.
Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer says the only solution is a deal both sides can agree on.
“Here in the Senate, both sides have an obligation to tune the partisan noise out and continue working. Bipartisanship is the only way that action on the border is going to happen,” said Sen. Schumer.
State Republican Senator Valarie Hodges, who was in the crowd, said Louisiana should do all it can to help.
“Honestly, I would love to see Governor Landry support Governor Abbot with the National Guard, with whatever resources that we can do that can help because really, all states in America have become a border state,” Sen. Hodges explained.
Attorney General Liz Murrill sent a letter to the president telling him and Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas that if they cannot bring themselves to enforce the law, get out of the way so Texas can.
“We have people that are on the known terrorist watch list come across our border. We have an enormous amount of fentanyl coming across our border. The interstates have been turned into arteries for mainlining fentanyl into the smallest towns and communities and our country. This is about the federal administration failing to do its job and the President of the United States failing to do his job,” said the Attorney General.
With illegal border crossings continuing to climb, folks are left wondering how all of this will end.
“I don’t really know how it’s going to play out. I just applaud Governor Abbott’s courage and the other governors who stood with him. Hopefully, it will make a difference. Hopefully, this will be a wake-up call for President Biden,” Sen. Hodges added.
“Honestly, I’m gonna be 45. I’m a grandpa, I’m a neighbor, and times are tough these days. I don’t feel like they need to be this tough,” said another protestor who drove in to meet the convoy all the way from Pennsylvania.
“That is what this is about. It’s about different people coming together who love our country and want to protect our borders. We’re doing this in a peaceful way,” Nyghtstorm continued.
The convoy left Denham Springs on Wednesday, Jan. 31, and plans to make several more stops along border hotspots. They’re expecting their largest group of folks to join in once they reach certain parts of Texas and Arizona.
https://www.wafb.com/2024/02/01/take-back-our-border-convoy-leaves-denham-springs-heads-texas/