Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday declared his state was under an invasion and invoked special powers granted under the U.S. and Texas constitutions.
The Republican governor's decision came after three dozen counties in his state passed resolutions calling for the invasion declaration which allows Abbott to send National Guard troops to the border, treat drug cartels as terrorist organization, and to build a border wall separate of the federal government,
"I invoked the Invasion Clauses of the U.S. & Texas Constitutions to fully authorize Texas to take unprecedented measures to defend our state against an invasion," Abbott tweeted. "I'm using that constitutional authority, & other authorization & Executive Orders to keep our state & country safe."
Abbott said his declaration would begin efforts to:
• Deploy the National Guard to the border to repel illegal immigrants;
• Deploy the Texas Department of Public Safety to arrest and return illegals to their home countries;
• Build a border wall in multiple counties;
• Deploy gun boats to secure the border;
• Designate Mexican drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations;
• Enter into a compact with other states to secure the border;
• Enter into agreements with foreign powers to enhance border security;
• Provide resources for border counties to increase their efforts to respond to the invasion.
In a letter dated Monday that he sent to county judges, Abbott wrote:
"Texas has devoted more than $4 billion of Texas taxpayer dollars toward these and other efforts to secure the border and enhance public safety.
"In January 2023 when the next Congress is sworn in, we must remind our representatives in Washington that securing the border is the federal government’s responsibility under Article I, § 8 and Article IV, § 4 of the U.S. Constitution. Congress should reimburse the State of Texas for the billions of dollars we have had to spend on border security in the Biden Administration’s absence.
"Federal officials who will not faithfully execute the immigration laws should face hearings and even impeachment.
"Finally, Congress should amend statutes like 18 U.S.C. § 242 to ensure that our Troopers and Guardsmen are not exposed to federal criminal prosecution for
protecting Texas against illegal entry between the ports of entry.
"Join me in sending this urgent message to our congressional delegation, which has the power to act under Article I, § 8 of the U.S. Constitution. Texas has done more than its fair share for far too long. The time has come for the federal government to do its job."
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