The White House is reportedly pressuring Democratic mayor of El Paso, Texas to not declare a state of emergency amid the worsening border crisis over fears that it would make US President Joe Biden look bad.
According to The Post, the Biden administration wants Mayor Oscar Leeser to not declare it in an attempt to save the image of the Democrats due to its huge involvement in the city’s migrant crisis.
More than of the El Paso City Council’s eight members are urging Mayor Leeser to issue an emergency declaration in an attempt to solve the problem caused by thousands of migrants, filling the city’s shelters and are being housed in local hotels.
However, Mayor Leeser exposed the Dems and revealed that he had been directed otherwise by the Biden administration during a private phone conversation last month, an official told The Post.
In a statement released by Councilmember Claudia Rodriguez, she revealed that Leeser “told me the White House asked him not to.”
She also revealed that the Democratic Mayor has repeatedly told and assured her that he would declare a state of emergency “if things got worse.”
Amid the controversy, US Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas), whose district covers rural areas and border towns near El Paso also exposed the administration and claimed that he also heard similar complaints from other city officials.
“It is a sleight of hand what the administration is doing — pressuring the local government to not issue a declaration of emergency, to say as if everything is going OK,” Gonzales said.
He also alleged that the White House has done “the same thing in other parts of my district which have also seen huge numbers of migrants seeking refuge.”
Meanwhile, when asked to comment about the said matter, Leeser declined to speak. However, he said in a prepared statement that “I don’t bow to pressure from any side.”
“I make decisions based on current circumstances and in the best interest of the citizens of El Paso,” the statement said.
Leeser also acknowledged and praised the federal government for providing his city with “critical” assistance.
During the council meeting last September 27, Mayor Leeser also addressed the issue where he said that Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (D-Texas) had urged him not to declare a State of Emergency.
“The White House has asked, at this point, for us not to do that and they’ll continue to work with us and continue to give us … money through [the] Federal Emergency Management Agency,” he claimed.
