On Monday, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO) criticized new anti-immigrant measures by Republican Governors Greg Abbott (Texas) and Ron DeSantis (Florida).
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A few hours earlier, the Texas governor announced the deployment of a new National Guard unit, the "Tactical Border Force," which will operate with Black Hawk and C130 helicopters to prevent the entry of migrants from Mexico.
“On one occasion, the Texas governor also said he was going to place tanks with cannons on the border pointing this way, towards us. And now, what does he say? Helicopters. There in their territory they can do it. However, they cannot do it on this side of the border," AMLO said.
Abbott's announcement comes shortly before Title 42 expires next Thursday. Adopted by Donald Trump (2017-2021), this measure was continued by President Joe Biden to expel migrants using the emergency related to COVID-19 as justification.
The Mexican president also denounced that Governor DeSantis, one of the Republican Party's favorites to seek the Presidency in 2024, "is taking repressive and inhumane measures against immigrants in Florida because he wants to be a candidate."
AMLO referred to the Florida law promulgated last week that will toughen the penalties for undocumented immigrants and criminalize companies and citizens who help them.
"Can't he make another proposal to convince the people? Why does he have to use the pain and need of the migrant to obtain political benefits?" the Mexican president asked.
Previously, President Biden said that he will ask the nearly 40 million Mexicans residing in the U.S. not to vote for Republicans or other anti-immigrant politicians in the upcoming elections.