National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC) Executive Director Mary Meg McCarthy responded with the following statement to media reports exposing allegations of abuse by Texas troopers against people attempting to cross the U.S.-Mexico border to seek asylum:

"Dehumanizing rhetoric and policies result in inhumane actions. Governor Abbott’s Operation Lone Star, along with his persistent anti-immigrant hate speech and policies, resulted in this abhorrent behavior by state troopers under his watch. The behavior described in the emails shared by the Texas trooper who has come forward as whistleblower are achingly similar to the type of law enforcement abuse that many asylum seekers come to the United States to flee.

"The Biden administration must investigate and hold Governor Abbott accountable for mistreatment of people at the U.S.-Mexico border. The Biden administration also should ensure that its own rhetoric and policies welcome immigrants and refugees fleeing for their lives instead of blocking thousands of asylum seekers from seeking refuge."