**Previous Episode: [[BDE282]]** **Next Episode: [[BDE284]]**  %%Post image thumbnail below.%% > [!abstract|no-i] Episode Overview > > **Date Aired:** [[01-25-2024]] > **Title:** I Haven't Been to Europe > **Episode:** 283 > **Description:** Party lines and borders have been crossed in the name of politics. Digging into timelines, coalitions, finances, and individuals. > **Link:** <https://rumble.com/v49a6f9-big-dig-energy-283-i-havent-been-to-europe.html> %%<https://historydraft.com/happened/what-happened/1-January/world>%% ## Replay %% Get embed URL then highlight and hit ALT + I%% <iframe src="https://rumble.com/embed/v46ov3f/?pub=6eeyh" allow="fullscreen" allowfullscreen="" style="height:100%;width:100%; aspect-ratio: 16 / 9; "></iframe> <br> ## Segments  ### C I V I L W A R FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) operates in [ten different regions](https://archive.is/20221004184654/https://www.fema.gov/about/organization/regions) in the United States, illustrated by this map:  | Region | States | |:---: |:---: | | Region 1 | Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont | | Region 2 | New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands | | Region 3 | Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, D.C., West Virginia | | Region 4 | Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee | | Region 5 | Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin | | Region 6 | Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas | | Region 7 | Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska | | Region 8 | Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming | | Region 9 | Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada | | Region 10 | Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Washington | Politics, namely border policies, split the United States into something very different:  Early today, under the auspices of the Republican Governor's Association, twenty-five governors signed a letter[^1] in support of Texas' "Constitutional right to self-defense." > *"President Biden and his Administration have left Americans and our country completely vulnerable to unprecedented illegal immigration pouring across the Southern border. Instead of upholding the rule of law and securing the border, the Biden Administration has attacked and sued Texas for stepping up to protect American citizens from historic levels of illegal immigrants, deadly drugs like fentanyl, and terrorists entering our country.*  > > *"We stand in solidarity with our fellow Governor, Greg Abbott, and the State of Texas in utilizing every tool and strategy, including razor wire fences, to secure the border. We do it in part because the Biden Administration is refusing to enforce immigration laws already on the books and is illegally allowing mass parole across America of migrants who entered our country illegally.*  > > *"The authors of the U.S. Constitution made clear that in times like this, states have a right of self-defense, under Article 4, Section 4 and Article 1, Section 10, Clause 3 of the U.S. Constitution. Because the Biden Administration has abdicated its constitutional compact duties to the states, Texas has every legal justification to protect the sovereignty of our states and our nation."* > > Signatories include: Governor Kay Ivey (AL), Governor Mike Dunleavy (AK), Governor Sarah Sanders (AR), Governor [[Ron DeSantis]] (FL), Governor Brian Kemp (GA), Governor Brad Little (ID), Governor Eric Holcomb (IN), Governor Kim Reynolds (IA), Governor Jeff Landry (LA), Governor Tate Reeves (MS), Governor Mike Parson (MO), Governor Greg Gianforte (MT), Governor Jim Pillen (NE), Governor Joe Lombardo (NV), Governor Chris Sununu (NH), Governor Doug Burgum (ND), Governor Mike DeWine (OH), Governor Kevin Stitt (OK), Governor Henry McMaster (SC), Governor Kristi Noem (SD), Governor Bill Lee (TN), Governor Spencer Cox (UT), Governor [[Glenn Youngkin]] (VA), Governor Jim Justice (WV), and Governor Mark Gordon (WY). #### Timeline **March 24, 2021:** [Biden taps VP Harris to lead response to border challenges](https://archive.is/ADJQd) President [[Joe Biden]] has tapped Vice President [[Kamala Harris]] to lead the White House effort to tackle the migration challenge at the U.S. southern border and work with Central American nations to address root causes of the problem. **June 7, 2021:** [Do Not Come](https://twitter.com/thehill/status/1402013418471702540)  **June 8, 2021:** [Harris defends not going to border: ‘And I haven’t been to Europe’](https://archive.is/BGoQU) > Vice President Harris defended her decision to not go to the border during a combative moment in an interview with NBC's Lester Holt on her trip to Guatemala and Mexico.  > > Holt repeatedly noted that Harris, who is charged in the Biden administration with handling the flow of Central American migrants at the border, hasn't actually been to the border. Holt twice asked Harris directly if she would visit the border. > > The second time, Harris responded with a bit of incredulity.  > > "At some point, you know, we are going to the border," Harris told Holt when asked if she plans to visit the border. "We've been to the border. So this whole thing about the border. We've been to the border. We've been to the border."  > > "You haven't been to the border," Holt responded.  > > "And I haven't been to Europe," she replied. "And I mean, I don't … understand the point that you're making. I'm not discounting the importance of the border." [June 30, 2023](https://twitter.com/BillMelugin_/status/1674849236448313372): > Video from source in Eagle Pass shows Border Patrol cutting through razor wire placed by the state of TX to allow migrants to enter & be processed after crossing illegally. @TxDPS tells me this is the first time they know of this happening, and that it's being looked into for potential destruction of TX property. The federal government's position is that once migrants are on U.S. soil, under U.S. law, they need to be processed, and cannot be repelled or turned away. Texas is taking a much different approach, and has been physically blocking migrants under orders from Governor > @GregAbbott_TX. > > TXDPS tells me the location this video was shot at is private property, and that they have permission from the owner to lay down razor wire and arrest migrants for criminal trespassing. This Border Patrol agent is likely just doing what he's been told - but this will likely lead to more friction between TX & the Feds, who have drastically different approaches at the border.  [Response](https://twitter.com/BillMelugin_/status/1674921617661591553): > CBP RESPONDS: A CBP official tells me a Border Patrol boat encountered a group of migrants with several small children, and that in order to quickly apprehend them and get them out of the heat, a BP agent cut the razor wire to access the area "consistent w/ federal law". CBP STATEMENT  [September 20, 2023](https://www.foxnews.com/politics/dhs-offer-work-permits-deportation-protection-over-470000-venezuelans-amid-new-border-surge):  > The Biden administration on Wednesday announced that it will be offering hundreds of thousands of Venezuelan migrants already in the U.S. – including those in the country illegally – work permits and protections from deportations, just as numbers are skyrocketing at the southern border. > > Officials announced a move to redesignate Venezuela for Temporary Protected Status, which allows migrants to apply for deportation protections and work permits if they have arrived for a certain date. > > The latest extension will see TPS extended for 18 months and applies to nationals who were in the country on or before July 31. Venezuela was last extended, but not re-designated, for TPS in 2022, meaning it was not open to new applicants. This redesignation will open it up to new applicants, and officials told reporters they estimate it will protect around 472,000 foreign nationals. **[January 24, 2024:](https://gov.texas.gov/uploads/files/press/Border_Statement_1.24.2024.pdf)** Governor Abbott Issues Statement On Texas' Constitutional Right To Self-Defense <div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 60%;"><iframe src="https://docs.google.com/viewer?embedded=true&url=https://gov.texas.gov/uploads/files/press/Border_Statement_1.24.2024.pdf" style="top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;" allowfullscreen></iframe></div> ##### Catholic Charities Money [Catholic Charities flights lead to surging number of migrants at O’Hare - Chicago Sun-Times](https://chicago.suntimes.com/2023/10/11/23890838/catholic-charities-flights-add-number-migrants-ohare) [Massachusetts Catholics respond to migrant crisis with charity - Axios Boston](https://www.axios.com/local/boston/2023/12/14/massachusetts-catholics-migrant-crisis-response) [Catholic Charities helps immigrants start new lives | Entertainment/Life | nola.com](https://www.nola.com/entertainment_life/catholic-charities-helps-immigrants-start-new-lives/article_b2299346-7800-11ee-b5f3-b36fa7196553.html)  [Link](https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/search?q=Catholic+Charities)  ### Primaries Rigged [Thread](https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1750139464914014208.html) %% FOOTER %% ---  --- ## Keep Digging %%Space%% ### Tags #Stream/BDE ### Footnotes & References [^1]: [Letter Archive](http://archive.today/JUkZR)