Gov. Abbott Authorizes Texas Troopers, National Guard to Return Illegal Immigrants to Border

What happens when someone is supposed to do a job but doesn’t do it? Someone else has to. And that’s what appears to be happening in Texas. After taking border protection upon itself by continuing the border wall, Gov. Greg Abbott has moved into fresh territory.

Abbott is frustrated by the flood of illegal immigrants crossing into the U.S. from Mexico. According to the New York Post, Abbott has issued an executive order allowing the Texas Guard and Law enforcement to arrest illegal immigrants and return them to CBP at the border.

While the intent is to return illegal crossers to Mexico, only the federal government can do that. However, Abbott is making a point and keeping a focus on Biden’s self-inflicted border crisis.

Abbott issued a press release in which he said, “While President Biden refuses to do his job and enforce the immigration laws enacted by Congress, the State of Texas is once again stepping up and taking unprecedented action to protect Americans and secure our southern border.”

FOX News reported, “About 5,000 migrants were arrested for illegally crossing the Texas border over the July 4th weekend,” according to Gov. Abbott. And between January and May 2021, Texas stopped 417,000 people from illegally crossing into Texas. This year, during the same time period, that number has risen to 523,000.

“Having already set a record for illegal border crossings in 2021, the Biden administration is expected to invite even more to cross this year…,” according to the Washington Examiner. Biden is exceeding their expectations with last year’s 1.7 million rising to 2.1 million “border encounters.”

Biden’s DOJ can’t be bothered to investigate the administration’s refusal to enforce federal immigration laws and also to allegedly aid and abet lawbreaking. But AG Merrick Garland is investigating Texas for potential civil rights violations–against illegal aliens.

Gov. Abbott is justifying his actions, citing, “Article IV, § 4 of the US Constitution.” Article IV essentially says, “[T]he U.S. shall protect each [State in this Union] against invasion….” Legal analysts, including Jonathan Turley, say, Abbott is stretching his interpretation of this article. Turley said, “Article Four… deals with an invasion… interpreted to mean an actual foreign invasion… of an army….”

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Steve Pomper

Steve Pomper is an author, freelance writer, and retired Seattle police officer. During his career, he served as a field training officer, on the Community Police Team, and as a mountain bike patrol coordinator. He’s written five books, including The Obama Gang and De-Policing America, and he is a contributor to the National Police Association and a freelance writer for The Tatum Report.

Originally from New England, he’s a Boston sports fan. He now lives in the Pacific Northwest with his wife, Jody, a retired firefighter. He enjoys spending time with his adult kids and three grandchildren.