Governor Sanders Visits Southern Border

Governor Greg Abbott was joined by 13 of America’s Governors who stand in solidarity with Texas’ right to defend itself against President Joe Biden’s border crisis for a press conference at Shelby Park in Eagle Pass.

"It's very clear that this is not just a fight that Texas is having. This is a fight that all of us have to engage in. Put very simply, Joe Biden has completely failed at one of his most basic and important duties as the President." said Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders

You can watch Governor Sanders remarks here.

Click here to read the press release from Governor Abbott's office here, and watch the full press conference here.

Black History Month

In honor of Black History Month, the Republican Party of Arkansas will be highlighting Arkansas' Black leaders. We are starting by celebrating our own Chairman, Joseph K. Wood. Chairman Wood's opinion piece regarding Black History Month was featured as a special to the Arkansas Democrat Gazette. You can read his op-ed here.

Chairman Wood was also profiled in Arkansas Money and Politics in an article by Dwain Hebda, where he discussed his goals for the future of the RPA. Click here to read more.

RNC Winter Meeting

This past week multiple Arkansans were on sight for the RNC Winter Meeting. Pictured here are RPA Chairman Joseph K. Wood, NFRW President Julie Harris, 3rd District Chairwoman Susan Gessler, 4th District Chairman Eddie Arnold, Col. Nate Todd, Poinsett Committeeman Donnie Scroggins, former RPA Chairman Jonelle Fulmer, NFRW Executive Director Nikki Beaver, National Committeewoman Mindy McAlindon, and National Committeeman Jonathan Barnett.

Biden's Record Border Crisis

The crisis at the southern border is only getting worse under Joe Biden’s weak leadership. The Biden Administration and Democrats are not serious about stopping the flow of illegal migrants and the record crossings prove the border is wide open.

What you need to know:

• Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data shows  302,034 illegal immigrants were encountered attempting to cross the U.S.-Mexico border in December
• The highest month ever recorded in  DHS history.
• For 34 straight months, monthly encounters have been higher than even the  highest month seen under the previous administration.
• Biden's border crisis is so bad, this is now the  fifth time CBP has needed to  adjust the y-axis on the illegal encounters graph.
• There are nearly 9,700 daily encounters.
• December's 300,000-plus encounters is a 460% increase from the average number of October apprehensions from 2017-2020.
• 13,475 unaccompanied children were encountered.
• 123,512 migrants  who crossed as part of a family were encountered - a near record high.
• 170,283 illegal immigrants were encountered from countries outside the Northern Triangle and Mexico, showing that Biden's crisis is global.
• At least  49 people on the terror watchlist have been encountered trying to enter the U.S. between ports of entry this fiscal year.
• More than  8.7 million illegal immigrants have crossed the border since Biden took office.
• This includes more than 1.7 million gotaways that have escaped past Border Patrol.
• An average of  5,000 illegal immigrants are being released into the U.S. every day.
• Illicit drugs are flowing into the country at an alarming rate, with only 5 to 10% being intercepted as border officials struggle to contain the smuggling.
• The amount of fentanyl seized in December is the equivalent of  roughly 260 million lethal doses.
• Fentanyl  is now the leading cause of death for Americans age 18 to 45, with the number killed by the drug up  94%  since 2019.
• FY 2023 saw nearly 2.5 million encounters,  surpassing last year's record.
• 169 people on the terror watchlist were encountered at the southern border in FY 2023, breaking the  all-time record of 98 set last year.
• Despite Biden's promise of a " fair and humane immigration system," his open border policies aren't compassionate; they are deadly.
• Biden’s failed policies are responsible for the crisis at the southern border.
• In Biden's first 100 days he took more than  94 executive actions on immigration, including  halting construction of the border wall and   ending the successful "Remain in Mexico" policy.

The bottom line:

Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Republican governors across the country are stepping up to try and stop Biden’s border crisis. Joe Biden and “border czar” Kamala Harris could stop this crisis today, but they are nowhere to be seen. On November 5, voters will head to the polls and vote for Republicans who will take the crisis at the border seriously.