Texas Governor Greg Abbott defended his state in the ongoing border fight with the federal government saying that securing the United States-Mexico border is “what Americans expect.”
“The truth of the matter is, what Texas is doing, is what Americans expect to be done,” Abbott said while appearing on Fox News‘ America’s Newsroom on Thursday morning. “Americans expect the border to be secured.”
“Because Joe Biden has abandoned that responsibility, Texas is stepping up,” Abbott added.
Newsweek reached out to the White House via email for comment.
The comments by Abbott come amid an ongoing battle between Texas and President Joe Biden’s administration over security along the southern border. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of Biden this week, requiring Texas to remove razor wire and other barriers that were erected along to border to curb immigration.
Brandon Bell/Getty Images
However, Abbott has defied the ruling and said in a post on X, formerly Twitter, that “This is not over.”
“Texas’ razor wire is an effective deterrent to the illegal crossings Biden encourages. I will continue to defend Texas’ constitutional authority to secure the border and prevent the Biden Admin from destroying our property,” Abbott said in the post.
In another statement issued on Wednesday, Abbott said: “The failure of the Biden Administration to fulfill the duties imposed by Article IV, § 4 has triggered Article I, § 10, Clause 3, which reserves to this State the right of self-defense.”
“For these reasons, I have already declared an invasion under Article I, § 10, Clause 3 to invoke Texas’s constitutional authority to defend and protect itself. That authority is the supreme law of the land and supersedes any federal statutes to the contrary,” the statement said.
In a statement previously provided to Newsweek, a spokesperson for Abbott’s office said: “The absence of razor wire and other deterrence strategies encourages migrants to make unsafe and illegal crossings between ports of entry, while making the job of Texas National Guard soldiers and DPS troopers more dangerous and difficult. This case is ongoing, and Governor Abbott will continue fighting to defend Texas’ property and its constitutional authority to secure the border.”
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security recently sent a letter to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton requesting access to the Shelby Park area, located near Eagle Pass, Texas.
“To our knowledge, Texas has only permitted access to Shelby Park by allowing public entry for a memorial, the media, and use of the golf course adjacent to Shelby Park, all while continuing to restrict U.S. Border Patrol’s access to the park,” the letter said.
Abbott added during his appearance on Fox News this morning that Texas has the “right” to protect the border and to stop criminals from crossing.
Update 01/25/24, 12 p.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.