Texas Gov. Greg Abbott introduced the “10 Most Wanted Criminal Illegal Immigrants” list this week, an initiative designed to apprehend illegal immigrants wanted for major crimes.
“When President Joe Biden took office, he dismantled every effective border policy his predecessor put into place,” Abbott said. “As a result, we have seen record high levels of illegal immigration, including dangerous criminals and terrorists who are a threat to the public safety of our state and our nation.”
“Texas is a law-and-order state, and with the help of our fellow Texans, we will ensure that the illegal immigrants on this list are taken off our streets and put behind bars to keep our communities safe,” Abbott continued. “Texas will continue to take unprecedented action to protect Texans and our state from President Biden’s border crisis.”
In December 2023, Abbott signed a bill into law that allows state law enforcement to arrest illegal immigrants.
“Four years ago, the United States had the fewest illegal border crossings in decades,” Abbott said at the time.
“It was because of four policies put in place by the Trump Administration that led to such a low number of illegal crossings. President Biden has eliminated all of those policies and done nothing to halt illegal immigration. President Biden’s deliberate inaction has left Texas to fend for itself. Today, I will sign three laws to better protect Texas—and America—from President Biden’s border neglect. These laws will help stop the tidal wave of illegal entry into Texas, add additional funding to build more border wall, and crackdown on human smuggling.”
The bill was signed alongside two other security measures.
Under the law, illegal immigrants may be expelled from the United States due to misdemeanor penalties.