Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds stood beside Texas Governor Greg Abbott in support of the efforts to secure the southern border during a news conference in Eagle Pass, Texas. Reynolds voiced her pride in receiving a briefing and displaying Iowa’s support on social media. She did not speak with reporters during the event. The display of support comes in the wake of a Supreme Court order on January 25, which Texas Governor Abbott defied by restricting U.S. Border Patrol agents from accessing a section of land along the Rio Grande, installing razor wire in an attempt to deter illegal entry into the U.S.
This stance of support for Texas has drawn criticism from some, including Joe Henry, the state political director for the League of United Latin American Citizens, who feels that Reynolds should focus on the needs of Iowans rather than getting involved in federal border security issues. Other state leaders, however, have expressed similar support for Texas, and Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird is co-leading a 27-state coalition calling on the Biden administration to set up defenses on the southern border. Reynolds is set to host a news briefing on Feb. 5 upon her return from Texas, but no further details about her trip have been disclosed.
Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds’s public display of support for Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s efforts to secure the southern border has stirred up controversy, with critics arguing that she should focus on the needs of Iowans instead of getting involved in federal border security issues. However, Reynolds’s stance is supported by other state leaders, including Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird, and she is scheduled to host a news briefing to further discuss her efforts upon her return from Texas on Feb. 5. The involvement of various state leaders in this support for Texas comes following a Supreme Court ruling and a bipartisan bill unveiling tougher asylum and border laws on Sunday.