Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller talks border security

TEXAS — State officers weigh in after Gov. Greg Abbott introduced elevated business automobile inspections on the border, visitors and commerce had been snarled for over per week. The governor ended these additional checks on Friday, after saying agreements with Mexican leaders to extend security on the opposite aspect of the border.

Gov. Abbott put the extra inspections in place final week, in response to the Biden administration’s plan to carry the pandemic-era asylum restriction Title 42.

The governor’s coverage was blamed for enormous provide chain points, with the mayor of Pharr estimating the financial loss may very well be as much as $1 billion. It additionally prompted a firestorm of criticism in opposition to Abbott, on each side of the aisle.

One of these vocal critics was the Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller. In a press release launched Tuesday, Miller referred to as the coverage “catastrophic”, and urged the governor to focus as an alternative on combating to increase Title 42.

 “We have a crisis at the border, a wide open border created by the Biden administration,” stated Miller, throughout an interview on Capital Tonight earlier than the governor lifted the restrictions. “What the governor’s done that I disagree with is, he’s causing a backlog. So he’s causing a second crisis, on top of the crisis we already have. We already have supply chain issues, and this complicates that even more.”

Before the additional inspections had been lifted, Miller warned it may result in larger costs and meals shortages.

“The sad part about it is that it doesn’t fix the immigration problem at all,” stated Miller. “And consumers are going to pay more for their goods.”

 After Miller launched his assertion, Gov. Abbott referred to as him “uninformed” throughout a press convention.

 “Well, he’s form of proper,” stated Miller, laughing. “He hasn’t informed me of anything. But on the other hand, I’ve been quite informed by the Trucker’s Association, by the International Produce Association. We are shutdown. It’s all come to a grinding halt.” 

Ultimately, Miller says he nonetheless helps Abbott, and hopes to work with him on border security sooner or later.

“I respect the governor. I’m going to support him. I want to work with him on this. Let’s go back to the drawing board. Let’s sit down with other statewide officials and see what we can do to attack this problem.”