by Sarah Roderick-Fitch
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, in an exclusive interview with The Center Square, had strong words for the Biden administration’s handling of the crisis at the southern border and the lifting of Title 42.
Youngkin signed an executive order Tuesday while delivering remarks at Stafford High School in Stafford County, marking National Fentanyl Awareness Day. During his speech, the governor blamed the Biden administration for failing to take action against the flow of the deadly drug across the border.
“[The Biden administration] needs to close the border and secure it and then deal with these issues,” Youngkin said. “We have this moment where every state is a border state.”
Afterward with The Center Square, Youngkin was asked about the lifting of Title 42, the pandemic-era border policy put in place under the Trump administration is due to expire Thursday.
“Title 42 has been a mess that the [Biden] administration has used to try to hide the fact that they have failed to deal with the crisis at the border,” said Youngkin. “It’s a human crisis. It’s a drug crisis.”
Title 42 allows immigration officials to swiftly turn away migrants at the southern border without the opportunity to apply for asylum.
The governor was critical of the Biden administration’s use of Title 42 as a detraction for addressing the failures to secure the southern border. He said White House policy is to blame for increased fentanyl poisonings due to a porous border.
“We’re seeing the 20 times increase in fentanyl deaths in 10 years. Five Virginians will die today, and five more will die tomorrow because [Biden] has failed to secure the border,” Youngkin lamented.
The governor urged the White House to adopt the “remain in Mexico” policy while investing in resources to handle the influx of migrants crossing the border.
“[The Biden administration] needs to press forward with the remain in Mexico policy, and they need to send more resources, secure the border. And it’s that simple,” Youngkin explained.
Youngkin decried the situation at the southern border as it has spread across the country and his administration’s plans to combat the resulting fentanyl crisis.
“As a governor of a state that is dealing with the fallout on issues that come from this failure from the Biden White House, we’re doing the work. Today I signed Executive Order 26 to marshal state resources to address the fentanyl crisis, and we deal with it every single day,” said the governor.
Youngkin concluded by pleading with the president to take control of the situation.
“Mr. Biden, help us,” he said. “Secure the border. Stop the flow of fentanyl into America. And let’s all recognize that he has a responsibility too.”
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Sarah Roderick-Fitch is The Center Square’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Editor. She has previously worked as an editor, and has been a contributing writer for several publications. In addition to writing and editing, Sarah spent nearly a decade working for non-profit, public policy organizations in the Washington, DC area.
Photo “Glenn Youngkin” by Governor of Virginia.
