Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom of California warned Monday that President Biden’s plan to reverse former President Donald Trump’s border policies could “break” his state.
The Biden administration is planning to lift the Trump-era Title 42 policy, which allows police and border officers to expedite the expulsion of illegal immigrants.
Newsom, speaking to ABC News on Monday, said, “The fact is, what we’ve got right now is not working and is about to break in a post-42 world unless we take some responsibility and ownership.”
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California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks during a press conference in San Francisco.
(Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
“I’m saying that as a father,” the governor added. “I’m saying that as someone that feels responsible for being part of the solution and I’m trying to do my best here.”
Newsom claimed the U.S. government is sending “more and more” migrants to California because the state is “taking care of folks.”
“The more we do, the burden is placed disproportionate on us,” he said.
“We’re already at capacity at nine of our sites,” Newsom continued. “We can’t continue to fund all of these sites because of the budgetary pressures now being placed on this state and the offsetting issues that I have to address.… The reality is, unless we’re doing what we’re doing, people will end up on the streets.”
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Newsom’s comments come as a surprise after years of championing policies to accommodate and expand protections to illegal migrants entering California.
“On Day One of his administration, President Biden put forward a comprehensive plan focused on securing our border, ensuring Dreamers have a permanent home in our country, and helping businesses address their needs for more workers,” the governor’s office said in a statement to Fox News Digital, quoting Newsom’s comments from visiting the border on Dec. 12.
The governor went on to claim that Republicans were disingenuous in their calls for tightened border security and immigration reform, accusing them of simply playing politics on the issue.
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Migrants stand across the Rio Grande from El Paso, Texas. Thousands of migrants have illegally crossed into the city in recent days, prompting concerns from city officials.
(Border Patrol)
Newsom continued, “Instead of working on real reform, the response from Republicans has been to exploit the situation at our border for political gain. California has invested roughly $1 billion over the past three years to support the health and safety of migrants as well as the surrounding border communities, but we cannot continue to do this work alone.”
“It is long past time for Republicans in Congress to engage on real solutions to meet the public safety, public health and humanitarian issues at our border and in our immigration system,” the governor concluded.
About 22% of California’s nearly 11 million immigrants are in the U.S. illegally, according to the Public Policy Institute of California.
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About 22% of California’s nearly 11 million immigrants are in the U.S. illegally, according to the Public Policy Institute of California.
(John Moore/Getty Images)
In September, Newsom signed a bill allowing illegal immigrants to obtain state ID, saying, “We’re a state of refuge — a majority-minority state, where 27% of us are immigrants.”
In January, Newsom unveiled his 2022-23 California budget plan, which included universal health care benefits for all low-income residents, including illegal migrants.
The Biden administration is requesting billions in additional funding for the border as it predicts an enormous spike in migrant encounters when the Title 42 authority to quickly expel migrants due to the COVID-19 pandemic ends later this month.
A court ordered the administration to stop using the authority — which has been used since March 2020 to quickly return migrants to Mexico — after finding it to be unlawful.
