Texas Governor Greg Abbott has said that President Joe Biden federalizing the National Guard would be a total disaster, amid tensions between the White House and the Lone Star State.
Abbott was speaking to conservative commentator Tucker Carlson on his Uncensored show, in reaction to an ongoing dispute over the border crisis. On January 23, the Supreme Court ruled that federal border agents could begin to cut razor wire installed as part of Abbott's Operation Lone Star. Newsweek approached Abbott's office and the White House for comment on Saturday.
The Texas National Guard appeared to ignore the ruling this week, and Abbott posted on X, formerly Twitter, after the decision: "We continue to deploy this razor wire to repel illegal immigration."
Federalizing the National Guard, so placing them under the command of Biden instead of the state governor, would be boneheaded, Abbott said to Carlson.
"We are prepared in the event that that unlikely event does occur to make sure that we will be able to continue exactly what we've been doing over the past month, and that is building these barriers," Abbott added.
The Biden administration says that wire prevents agents from gaining access to key parts of the border.
The likes of former Democrat Congressman Beto O'Rourke and Democratic Texas Representative Joaquin Castro have urged Biden to federalize the National Guard.
"Abbott is using the Texas Guard to defy a Supreme Court ruling. When Gov. Faubus did this in 1957, Eisenhower federalized the Arkansas Guard to ensure compliance with the law," O'Rourke posted on X. "Biden must follow this example of bold, decisive leadership to end this crisis before it gets worse."
Others have questioned if Biden has the legal authority to take control of the state-based military force.
Earlier in January, three migrants including two children drowned in the Rio Grande in an area that federal agents were unable to access.
Abbott has blasted the White House for its immigration policies and said: "Biden has instructed his agencies to ignore federal statutes that mandate the detention of illegal immigrants." The governor added he has a right to protect the state against invasion.
The Republican has received backing from 25 GOP state governors in a letter this week.
A joint statement read: "We stand in solidarity with our fellow Governor, Greg Abbott, and the State of Texas in utilizing every tool and strategy, including razor wire fences, to secure the border."
The statement added: "We do it in part because the Biden Administration is refusing to enforce immigration laws already on the books and is illegally allowing mass parole across America of migrants who entered our country illegally."
The Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has denied the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) full access in a public letter, after the DHS sent a letter of its own to Texas officials on January 24, the day after the Supreme Court ruling.
The DHS demanded full access to the border and the key area of Shelby Park in Eagle Pass by January 26, CNN reported.
Paxton said in his response: "This office will continue to defend Texas's efforts to protect its southern border against every effort by the Biden Administration to undermine the State's constitutional right of self-defense."
Biden may find out how little power/authority he really has if he tries to federalize the Texas National Guard.
Abbott was speaking to conservative commentator Tucker Carlson on his Uncensored show, in reaction to an ongoing dispute over the border crisis. On January 23, the Supreme Court ruled that federal border agents could begin to cut razor wire installed as part of Abbott's Operation Lone Star. Newsweek approached Abbott's office and the White House for comment on Saturday.
The Texas National Guard appeared to ignore the ruling this week, and Abbott posted on X, formerly Twitter, after the decision: "We continue to deploy this razor wire to repel illegal immigration."
Federalizing the National Guard, so placing them under the command of Biden instead of the state governor, would be boneheaded, Abbott said to Carlson.
"We are prepared in the event that that unlikely event does occur to make sure that we will be able to continue exactly what we've been doing over the past month, and that is building these barriers," Abbott added.
The Biden administration says that wire prevents agents from gaining access to key parts of the border.
The likes of former Democrat Congressman Beto O'Rourke and Democratic Texas Representative Joaquin Castro have urged Biden to federalize the National Guard.
"Abbott is using the Texas Guard to defy a Supreme Court ruling. When Gov. Faubus did this in 1957, Eisenhower federalized the Arkansas Guard to ensure compliance with the law," O'Rourke posted on X. "Biden must follow this example of bold, decisive leadership to end this crisis before it gets worse."
Others have questioned if Biden has the legal authority to take control of the state-based military force.
Earlier in January, three migrants including two children drowned in the Rio Grande in an area that federal agents were unable to access.
Abbott has blasted the White House for its immigration policies and said: "Biden has instructed his agencies to ignore federal statutes that mandate the detention of illegal immigrants." The governor added he has a right to protect the state against invasion.
The Republican has received backing from 25 GOP state governors in a letter this week.
A joint statement read: "We stand in solidarity with our fellow Governor, Greg Abbott, and the State of Texas in utilizing every tool and strategy, including razor wire fences, to secure the border."
The statement added: "We do it in part because the Biden Administration is refusing to enforce immigration laws already on the books and is illegally allowing mass parole across America of migrants who entered our country illegally."
The Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has denied the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) full access in a public letter, after the DHS sent a letter of its own to Texas officials on January 24, the day after the Supreme Court ruling.
The DHS demanded full access to the border and the key area of Shelby Park in Eagle Pass by January 26, CNN reported.
Paxton said in his response: "This office will continue to defend Texas's efforts to protect its southern border against every effort by the Biden Administration to undermine the State's constitutional right of self-defense."
Biden may find out how little power/authority he really has if he tries to federalize the Texas National Guard.
MSN
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