A Trump rally, without Trump: Conservatives demand border security in Texas

Conservatives united in Quemado, Texas, recently, near the US-Mexico border, to demand tighter border security while the country faces a migration crisis and a tense election year.

The rally lasted a weekend, starting with a vehicle convoy from Virginia to Texas. According to Reuters, citizens from all over the country joined.

There were also two smaller simultaneous rallies near the US-Mexico border in Yuma, Arizona, and San Ysidro, California.

Tom Welch, a 25-year-old from St. Louis, described the event to the New York Times as a "Trump rally, without Trump." Several attendees wore the former President's campaign merchandise.

The rally also took a Christian route. Some participants received baptisms and started prayer sessions for the border situation, blaming President Biden.

According to an NBC collection of the event, people displayed signs supporting Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who is clashing with Biden on border security.

According to The New York Times quotes, some participants expressed concerns about "an invasion" through the Southern border.

Immigration has become a vital issue for the 2024 presidential campaign, as Republicans blame the Biden administration for a surge in border crossings since 2021.

The discussion is now on the table of Congress as the Senate will discuss a $118 billion border, Ukraine, and Israel aid bill released by Democrats.

The most notable shift in the new legislation is an emergency border-closure measure that would allow the President to shut the border if more than 5,000 migrants cross it daily.

The changes were a rare concession from Democrat Senators to their Republican counterparts as they tied border security with aid for Ukraine and Israel.

Still, the new legislation might not see the light as top Republican candidate Donald Trump said he opposed it, and House GOP lawmakers followed his lead.

The US is facing an immense migration crisis, with several months breaking the record for illegal crossings at the Southern border.

Biden issued new migration policies to restrict asylum seekers from requesting protection in the US and a Parole system for certain nationalities to address the situation.

However, those policies have not succeeded. Texas Gov. Abbott's border barriers haven't either. According to experts cited by the New York Times, a comprehensive migration reform is necessary.

According to the newspaper, the US immigration system has not been overhauled in almost 40 years. Still, positions seem to be too polarized on this issue to find common ground any time soon.