Rep. Roger Williams credits Trump-era enforcement for 'zero crossings' claim and cites large Texas spending on border barriers
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Summary
Rep. Roger Williams told host Stacy Washington he had reports of 'zero crossings' at the border and said Texas spent what he described as $11 billion, then corrected to $15 billion, to build barriers and support enforcement, a claim presented without supporting documentation in the interview.
When asked about conditions at the Texas border, Rep. Roger Williams credited what he described as substantial enforcement actions and infrastructure investments. Williams said recent administration actions and state efforts have led to ‘‘zero crossings,’’ a claim he presented in the interview without accompanying data or external sourcing.
Williams also stated that Texas spent federal funds that should have been provided by the federal government, saying: "We even spent $11,000,000,000 actually, $15,000,000,000 of money that should have been spent by the federal government ... to build the wall at Texas." He credited support for increased Border Patrol and law enforcement and lauded Governor Greg Abbott’s state actions.
Those were assertions by the congressman on the program; the interview did not provide corroborating reports, border statistics, or documentation for the spending amounts or the 'zero crossings' claim. No administration or federal data was cited during the exchange.
Williams urged migrants to use ports of entry, saying those who cross between ports of entry would be returned "back home."