Biden administration demands that the Texas attorney general give Border Patrol access to a park taken over by Texas
NBCJAN 25 2024
South Dakota Gov. Considering Sending Razor Wire, Personnel to Texas
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The Spin
Republican narrative
While Biden and the Democrats seek to open the Southern Border, Republican governors like Kristi Noem are standing with Texas against a literal invasion. Not only does an open border undermine American sovereignty, but it also invites and incentivizes drug cartels to continue bringing fentanyl into the US, as well as trafficking children and preying on people’s desperation. South Dakota has an obligation to protect its citizens, as the border crisis has impacted every state in the union.
Democratic narrative
Kristi Noem is playing politics with her latest border stunt, and now she is using the plight of the Oglala Sioux Tribe as a political weapon to increase her standing on the national stage. She only seems to care about Native American tribes when it's politically expedient, trying to appeal to the MAGA base with her harsh rhetoric on the border. Moreover, her claim that there's a local gang called the Ghost Dancers that is affiliated with cartel members in Pine Ridge is nothing but an insult to the tribe's traditions. Her disingenuous rhetoric is a dangerous game pitting some Red States against the federal government.
Cynical narrative
The majority of Americans — both Republicans and Democrats — feel that immigrants fill jobs that most US citizens will not take. Despite the polarizing political rhetoric, America's de-industrialized economic system depends on cheap immigrant labor to function. This is not acknowledged enough in political discourse on either side when discussing potential solutions.