Morning Wire XX
[0] The political battle over the border in Texas comes to a head in a new court ruling.
[1] We discussed the Texas standoff against the Biden administration and surprising new data on where the migrants are now coming from.
[2] I'm Daily Wire, editor -in -chief John Bickley, with Georgia Howl.
[3] It's Monday, December 4th, and this is Morning Wire.
[4] The Pentagon says that a U .S. warship and multiple commercial ships on Sunday in the Red Sea.
[5] We are certainly taking appropriate force protection measures to ensure the safety of our troops.
[6] Clearly, this is an uptick in terms of the types of drone activity we've seen in Iraq and Syria.
[7] And with the Iowa caucus fast approaching, GOP candidates strive to set themselves apart from the pack amid some shake -ups in the campaigns.
[8] Thanks for waking up with Morning Wire.
[9] Stay tuned.
[10] We have the news you need to know.
[11] New data offers surprising details on who exactly is crossing into the country at the southern border, while a federal court rules that Texas must remove its floating barriers in the Rio Grande.
[12] Here with more on what we've learned, and the political implications is Daily Wire Senior Editor Cabot Phillips.
[13] So, Cabot, let's start with the important ruling coming out of Texas.
[14] What can you tell us there?
[15] Yeah, so for context, throughout the last year, the state of Texas has spent billions of dollars on efforts to reinforce the southern border.
[16] They claim the White House has shown little interest in stemming the flow of illegal immigration there.
[17] As part of that operation, Texas Governor Greg Abbott ordered officials to erect floating barriers on heavily trafficked portions of the Rio Grant.
[18] Now, back in September, a federal judge ruled that those barriers, quote, posed a threat to human life, violated environmental law, and likely required congressional approval.
[19] Texas Republicans immediately filed an appeal on that ruling, but on Friday, the Fifth Circuit Court ruled two to one against them, upholding the prior ruling outlong those barriers.
[20] That ruling did come as a bit of a surprise, as the Fifth Circuit is widely considered the most conservative federal appeals court in the country.
[21] So a victory for the White House, but it sounds like Texas Republicans are not really taking that just yet.
[22] Yeah, that is for sure.
[23] So Abbott and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton called the ruling, quote, completely wrong and vowed to, quote, go to SCOTUS if needed to protect Texas from Biden's open borders.
[24] We'll have to wait and see if the high court does take up that case.
[25] But in the meantime, Abbott and GOP officials in the state are looking elsewhere to combat the border.
[26] crisis.
[27] This month, the governor said he will sign a new law that would make illegal border crossings a state crime that would allow law enforcement to arrest migrants in the state illegally and also requires judges to deport them.
[28] Republicans say the law is only necessary because the White House has ignored their duties while Democrats, as you can imagine, and immigration advocates say the measure will lead to racial profiling by police.
[29] There is a good chance that law is challenged in court by the Justice Department, so keep an eye on that in the coming months.
[30] So shifting gears a bit, we've noticed a significant shift.
[31] in who is coming across the border.
[32] Give us some more on that front.
[33] Yeah, there's a really growing discussion now, however, not just how many are coming to the country illegally, but who exactly is coming.
[34] In decades past, illegal immigration overwhelmingly came from Mexico and other South and Central American countries, but migrants are now coming from all around the world.
[35] We've seen hundreds of people on the terror watch list, many from the Middle East attempting to cross the border in recent years.
[36] And now, according to Border Patrol data, we're seeing a massive influx of Chinese making the journey.
[37] In the last 12 months, 24 ,000 Chinese citizens have been detained at the border.
[38] Get this, that is more than the last decade combined.
[39] Now, the vast majority flying to Ecuador, where they don't need a visa, and then many pay smugglers to take them north through the dangerous Daring Gap in the jungles of Panama.
[40] According to government officials there, Chinese citizens are now the fourth largest nationality making that trek, trailing only Venezuela, Ecuador, and Haiti, countries much more likely to be associated with legal immigration.
[41] Now, how much of a liability is this issue for President Biden going into the election?
[42] Well, the American people, including many Democrats, it's worth noting, simply do not approve of this president's handling of immigration and the southern border.
[43] That's really just no longer up for debate.
[44] Poll after poll has shown the vast majority of Americans disapproving of the job he's doing.
[45] A recent NBC poll, for example, showed that Republicans now hold an 18 -point lead on the question of which party better handles immigration.
[46] Looking back before Biden was elected, Democrats were routinely ahead on that metric six points.
[47] So a huge swing on that issue.
[48] And that is especially bad news when you consider that immigration typically ranks in the top three or four most important issues for voters in polling.
[49] On the issue of immigration, Biden is underwater by more than 20 points.
[50] Now, for his part, the president is aware of the fact that voters have soured on him as millions have continued to cross the border under his watch.
[51] But he's also reportedly fearful of alienating his party's progressive base by publicly calling for stricter border enforcement and also more deportations.
[52] It is the textbook, rock and hard place dilemma for President Biden.
[53] Right, and the situation is sort of poised to get harder as time goes on.
[54] Yeah, you're absolutely right.
[55] Cabot, thanks for reporting.
[56] Anytime.
[57] A U .S. warship and multiple commercial ships came under fire in the Red Sea on Sunday in what appears to be more attacks from Iran -backed groups.
[58] Joining us to discuss is Daily Wire reporter Marita Lorty.
[59] Hi, Marad.
[60] So a very troubling statement from the Pentagon about apparent attacks against the U .S. on Sunday and some commercial ships.
[61] What do we know so far?
[62] Well, from what the Pentagon has revealed, we appear to have a major escalation here of aggression directly against the U .S., and likely from an Iran -backed group.
[63] As Morning Wire has reported, we've seen a series of smaller attacks by various terrorist groups, all funded by Iran, against U .S. targets.
[64] But this appears to be a direct attack on an American warship as well as multiple commercial ships, all in the Red Sea.
[65] The aggressors are suspected to be the Houthis, the Iran -backed militant group in Yemen.
[66] On Sunday, the Pentagon issued a statement detailing multiple attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea that the USS Carney responded to.
[67] The Carney detected an anti -ship ballistic missile attack fired from Houthi -controlled areas of Yemen, U .S. Central Command said.
[68] It then engaged and shot down a drone launch from that area.
[69] Multiple ships reported being targeted by ballistic missiles.
[70] CENTCOM called the attacks a direct threat to international commerce and maritime security that have jeopardized the lives of international crews representing multiple countries.
[71] around the world.
[72] Sankham went on to say that they believe the attacks were launched by the Houthis who are, quote, fully enabled by Iran.
[73] And they said that the U .S. will consider all appropriate responses in full coordination with its international allies and partners.
[74] All right.
[75] So apparent escalation from an Iran -backed group.
[76] Now, this, of course, comes amid the backdrop of the Hamas -Israel war.
[77] We've seen a return from violence from Hamas as the ceasefire was set to come to an end and Israel quickly responding.
[78] What happened there?
[79] Right.
[80] Late 13 Thursday and early Friday, before the ceasefire was officially ended, Palestinian terrorists reportedly fired dozens of rockets against Israel.
[81] Those attacks came as Hamas also failed to provide an adequate list of hostages to release in order to extend the pause beyond Friday.
[82] In response, the Israel Defense Forces announced that it was resuming combat operations against the terror group.
[83] The IDF reportedly hit more than 200 terror targets inside of Gaza and said one strike took out 10 Hamas terrorists.
[84] They also said they've destroyed hundreds of shafts.
[85] of terror tunnels located near schools, playgrounds, and mosques, including one in the courtyard of a school complex.
[86] Okay, so Israel resuming its campaign to wipe out the terror group.
[87] Now, we've also seen an escalation of violence outside of the Middle East from radical elements in Western countries.
[88] We just saw this in Paris Saturday night.
[89] What do we need to know about the Eiffel Tower attack?
[90] Yeah, so this is another alarming incident in a major city.
[91] A man reportedly pledging allegiance to ISIS stabbed multiple people.
[92] near the Eiffel Tower on Saturday.
[93] As a result, at least one person, a German tourist, is dead and two more are injured.
[94] The AFB reports that the suspect is, quote, known to French authorities as a radical Islamist with mental health troubles.
[95] And officials say he shot at Al -Hu Akbar during the stabbing spree.
[96] France 24 reports that the suspect uploaded a brief video to social media in which he declared himself as a supporter of the caliphate of the Islamic State and pledged allegiance to the Caliph Abu Hafts.
[97] and claim to act to, quote, avenge the Muslims.
[98] Prosecutors have opened an investigation into a potential terrorist plot, while the German government has condemned what they called the abominable crime.
[99] A lot of countries really heightening vigilance right now.
[100] Right.
[101] Marais, thanks for reporting.
[102] Thanks, John.
[103] With the Iowa caucus just weeks away, GOP candidates are setting up for the home stretch, and the race for second place behind Donald Trump is being shaken up.
[104] This weekend, we saw several people let go from the main, Ron DeSantis' Super Pack never backed down just a week after the resignation of its CEO.
[105] Meanwhile, Nikki Haley is seeing an influx of cash from a recent endorsement by the Koch brothers.
[106] Here to discuss where all this stands is Daily Wire contributor Dave Marcus.
[107] Hey, Dave, let's start with DeSantis.
[108] What's going on with his super pack?
[109] Morning, John.
[110] So Kristen Davison, the interim CEO of Never Back Down, a pack which predates the actual campaign launch, was fired this week just nine days after she replaced head honcho Chris Jankowski in what is a major shakeup.
[111] The communications director and others were also let go.
[112] There have been reports of disagreements bordering on fistfights between the campaign and the PAC, growing out of frustration with the fact that Never Backdown's hefty TV ad spending isn't moving the needle.
[113] Never Backdown is now going to be charged with running the get -out -the -vote campaign with TV ads being handed over to another PAC.
[114] This really is a major reorganization of the team backing the Florida governor.
[115] Yeah, it sounds like it.
[116] It's a lot of changes so close to the first primary.
[117] Is this a bad sign for DeSantis ahead of Iowa?
[118] And obviously it's not ideal, but it can be looked at two ways.
[119] Yes, it doesn't look great and is an admission on some level that the campaign isn't firing on all cylinders.
[120] But on the other hand, if things aren't working out, you change them.
[121] And the DeSantis camp seems to be ripping off this band -aid.
[122] It's worth remembering that Trump went through several campaign managers in 2016 as well as a veritable musical chairs of advisors and obviously went on to grab the brass ring.
[123] So I think right now the question isn't so much whether this shakeup is a bad look, but rather whether the new people in charge can find a message that resonates with voters.
[124] DeSantis's performance last week in his debate against Gavin Newsom drew a lot of praise.
[125] There's a GOP debate this week.
[126] And so some new leadership is taking over and we'll see what they can do.
[127] Now, the candidate competing most directly with him is Nikki Haley, who's enjoying some momentum as of late.
[128] The big news there is the Koch brothers giving her a financial lift, and she's now within four points of DeSantis in RCP's average of polls.
[129] Is she in striking distance for a second?
[130] Yes, more so than any candidate has been thus far, and there's a lot of juice right now for her, not just in terms of money, but some good debate reviews, and a sense that the Republican establishment could coalesce around her.
[131] That having been said, her supposed surge is from four to nine points in national polls.
[132] So, I mean, it's not exactly a SpaceX rocket lifting off so far.
[133] But as you mentioned, it's all about second place because if anyone is going to eventually knock Trump off the top of the hill, it will only be in an eventual one -on -one matchup.
[134] DeSantis has his eggs in the basket of Iowa, where he just completed his quest to visit all 99 counties.
[135] Haley is counting on New Hampshire.
[136] If either underperform, then it could clear the path for the other.
[137] And where does this leave Trump?
[138] He's been out making speeches but not engaged in traditional campaigning.
[139] Does his team think the primary is effectively over?
[140] Yes, and I've spoken with people close to the Trump campaign who in the past acknowledged to me that some of that attitude had been posturing, but who now tell me they really believe in.
[141] Of course, that doesn't make it.
[142] So, and the campaign has not pivoted to Biden.
[143] They're still attacking the other GOP candidates, particularly DeSantis, but increasingly Haley as well.
[144] It's December, John.
[145] I don't know where it went, but 2023 is all but in the rearview mirror, and this presidential race has started its engines.
[146] Seriously, where did this year go?
[147] I don't know.
[148] Thanks for coming on.
[149] Thanks for having me. That's all the time we've got this morning.
[150] Thanks for waking up with us.
[151] We'll be back later this afternoon with more news you need to know.