By Guy Page
Will Gov. Phil Scott respond to the request from the governors of Texas and Arizona for assistance with the illegal immigration border crisis?
Today, Gov. Scott told reporters he hasn’t gotten a phone call from either governor – but that he would help, if asked.
“I haven’t received any calls from either governor,” Scott responded to a question by Vermont Daily during his press conference today. “I’m not aware they need our help.” However, Vermont would offer help if asked, he said.
In 1999, the Vermont Legislature joined the emergency management assistance compact. The law says “the purpose of this compact is to provide mutual aid and assistance among the party states for response to and management of any disaster or emergency declared by the governor of any affected party state.”
Governor, Governor Greg Abbott of Texas and Gov. Doug Ducey of Arizona on June 10 sent a letter to fellow governors seeking interstate compact help to stop the inflow of illegal immigrants.
Vermont already has a longstanding interstate compact with Texas, under which the Lone Star State stores low-level radioactive waste from Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant.
Gov. Abbott of Texas invoked the interstate compact at a June 10 Border Security Summit, at which he explained the nature of the crisis.
“President Biden’s open-border policies have led to a humanitarian crisis at our southern border as record levels of illegal immigrants, drugs, and contraband pour into Texas,” said Governor Abbott. “While securing the border is the federal government’s responsibility, Texas will not sit idly by as this crisis grows. The state is working collaboratively with communities impacted by the crisis to arrest and detain individuals coming into Texas illegally. Our efforts will only be effective if we work together to secure the border, make criminal arrests, protect landowners, rid our communities of dangerous drugs, and provide Texans with the support they need and deserve.
“This is an unprecedented crisis, and Texas is responding with the most robust and comprehensive border plan the nation has ever seen,” Abbott said.
President Biden also has described the crush at the southern border as a crisis. “We’re going to increase the number [of refugees],” he told reporters, as reported by Fox News April 18. “The problem was that the refugee part was working on the crisis that ended up on the border with young people. We couldn’t do two things at once. But now we are going to increase the number.”
Gov. Scott this March informed federal authorities Vermont would take more refugees.
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