The Brief: June 24, 2014

Texas politicians from across the political spectrum are weighing in on the surge of unaccompanied minors crowding detention facilities.

By John Reynolds

June 24, 20145 AM Central

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The Big Conversation

Texas politicians from across the political spectrum on Monday weighed in on the surge of unaccompanied minors crowding detention facilities in the state. Gov. Rick Perry predicted "a trail of tears" if the federal government doesn't act to stem the flow of migrants.

Perry "pulled few punches" in his criticism of the federal government in a press conference after he toured a detention facility housing unaccompanied minors in Weslaco, the Tribune's Julián Aguilar reported. “The federal government spends hundreds of millions of dollars on foreign aid going into countries south of the United States. ... Yet this administration is being hesitant about spending some millions of dollars to secure the border. I think that’s what Americans are really upset about.”

The two candidates vying to succeed Perry as governor — Greg Abbott and Wendy Davis — also weighed in. Abbott largely echoed Perry's position that the federal government bore the blame. "There are consequences that we are seeing because of the United States of America's failure and refusal to impose the rule of law," Abbott said, as reported by the San Antonio Express-News. Davis, meanwhile, called for a special session on the emergency, putting her in a rare point of agreement with the Legislature's most conservative members.

Perry, meanwhile, continued on Monday to question the need for lawmakers to return to Austin on the issue. “I think the state of Texas has already made the moves substantially quicker than bringing the Legislature in” would, he said. “All they are going to do is appropriate money. We’ve already done that.”

The Day Ahead

• The Senate Select Committee on Transportation Funding, Expenditures & Finance meets at 9 a.m. in the Capitol Extension to look at the current state of transportation funding as well as future funding options. (agenda)

• The Sunset Advisory Commission meets at 10 a.m. in the Capitol Extension for testimony on the University Interscholastic League and to receive agency responses from the Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services, the Department of Family and Protective Services, the Department of State Health Services and the Department of Aging and Disability Services. (agenda)