In a bold and unprecedented move, Texas Governor Greg Abbott officially declared “an invasion” at the southern border on Wednesday evening. This announcement came as the Lone Star State grapples with a surge in undocumented immigration and strained local resources, further deepening the ongoing debate over border security and immigration policies.
Governor Abbott took to “X”, formerly known as Twitter, to make his declaration, stating, “I officially declared an invasion at our border because of Biden’s policies.” He continued, “We are building a border wall, razor wire, and marine barriers. We are also repelling migrants.”
This declaration was not made lightly. In a letter addressed to President Joe Biden, Governor Abbott invoked Article I, Section 10, Clause 3 of the U.S. Constitution, which empowers states to protect their own territories when faced with invasion. Abbott argued that the federal government’s failure to enforce immigration laws had left Texas with no other option but to take action.
Abbott’s letter to President Biden stated, “The U.S. Constitution won ratification by promising the States, in Article IV, § 4, that the federal government ‘shall protect each of them against Invasion.’ By refusing to enforce the immigration laws enacted by Congress, your Administration has made clear that it will not honor that guarantee. The federal government’s failure has forced me to invoke Article I, § 10, Clause 3 of the U.S. Constitution, thereby enabling the State of Texas to protect its own territory against invasion by the Mexican drug cartels.”
Article I, Section 10, Clause 3 states, “No State shall, without the Consent of Congress, lay any Duty of Tonnage, keep Troops, or Ships of War in time of Peace, enter into any Agreement or Compact with another State, or with a foreign Power, or engage in War unless actually invaded, [emphasis added], or in such imminent Danger as will not admit of delay.”
Abbott’s declaration coincides with the mayor of Eagle Pass, Rolando Salinas Jr., issuing a local disaster declaration on Wednesday. This move came as the number of people crossing the border over the last few days surged to more than 4,000, overwhelming local police and fire departments. Mayor Salinas explained that the emergency declaration would enable the city to request financial resources to handle the additional services required due to the influx of undocumented immigrants.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) also took action, redirecting its agents from processing vehicles and the railway at the Piedras Negras-Eagle Pass trade port to assist Border Patrol in taking migrants into custody. In a statement, CBP pledged to maximize consequences for those without a legal basis to remain in the United States and to prioritize the border security mission as necessary in response to the evolving situation.
On Wednesday, Governor Abbott posted a video on “X” showing Border Patrol agents, under orders from the Biden administration, cutting a razor wire barricade near Eagle Pass and escorting a group of illegal aliens into the United States.
Governor Abbott’s declaration of “invasion” has intensified the already heated debate surrounding immigration and border security policies. As Texas takes matters into its own hands, it remains to be seen how this move will impact the ongoing national discourse on border issues.