(KWTX) Texas Governor Greg Abbott, recently re-elected to his third term in office, on Tuesday announced he had invoked the Invasion Clause in the U.S. and Texas constitutions in order to authorize the state to take “unprecedented measures” to defend itself “against an invasion.”
“I’m using that constitutional authority and other authorization and executive orders to keep our state and country safe,” Abbott tweeted.
The governor said the actions will allow him to deploy the National Guard to “safeguard and to repel and turn back immigrants” trying to cross the border illegally.
The Texas Department of Public Safety will also be allowed to “arrest and return to the border” immigrants who cross the border illegally or commit a crime, Abbott said.
According to Abbott, the State of Texas plans to build a border wall in multiple counties on the border, deploy gun boats to secure the border, designate Mexican drug cartels as terrorist organizations, enter into compact with other states to secure the border, enter into agreements with foreign powers to enhance border security, and provide resources for border counties to increase border security efforts to “respond to the border invasion.”
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.
I’m using that constitutional authority, & other authorization & Executive Orders to keep our state & country safe: pic.twitter.com/2Jt5HEMgp5
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) November 15, 2022
