© Jay Janner/American-Statesman/USA Today NetworkA buoy barrier in the Rio Grande and razor wire protect the US Border in Eagle Pass
Almost all of the U.S. Republican governors have signed on a statement backing Texas Gov. Greg Abbott in his bitter fight against the federal government over border control.
The statement released Thursday on the Republican Governors Association website criticized the Biden Administration and said the state of Texas has the constitutional right to defend itself. This week, Texas officials and the Department of Homeland Security sparred over barbed wire along the Rio Grande. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that federal agents can cut through the razor wire the state installed to deter people from crossing.
The letter, signed by 25 Republican governors:
"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. Because the Biden Administration has abdicated its constitutional compact duties to the states, Texas has every legal justification to protect the sovereignty of our states and our nation."What states are supporting Texas?
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arkansas
- Florida
- Georgia
- Idaho
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Louisiana
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Utah
- Virginia
- West Virginia
- Wyoming
Operation Lone Star and the dispute over Texas's border
As part of Operation Lone Star, Abbott's $11 billion border security initiative, Texas has implemented several measures to block migrants from entering the state, including setting up the razor wire, placing large water buoys in the Rio Grande and building segments of a state border wall.
On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that federal agents can remove the razor wire after the federal government earlier this month sought an emergency ruling allowing it to do so to reach migrants or officers in distress and to patrol the southern border.
But the ruling did not seem to deter Abbott, who posted on social saying, "this is not over." The Texas Military Department also posted photos Tuesday of soldiers installing more wire in Eagle Pass, where the state has barred the federal access to Shelby Park.
Abbott on Wednesday again accused the Biden administration of failing to prosecute migrants for illegally entering the country, ignoring rules surrounding the detention of migrants and "wasting taxpayer dollars to tear open Texas's border security infrastructure."
Republican governors support Texas's constitutional claim, but don't supply material support
Abbott invoked state's constitutional right of self-defense in the justifying the patrol tactics and flouting federal guidance, but the U.S. Constitution relegates immigration law to the federal government.
Abbott and his supporters pointed to two provisions:
Article 4, Section 4 of the constitution, which states the U.S. will defend states against invasion; andAbbott and the faction of governors argue that the Biden administration has failed to uphold duties in the former, allowing Texas to evade federal guidance in the name of the latter.
Article 1, Section 10, Clause 3, which bans states from engaging in war "unless actually invaded, or in such imminent danger as will not admit of delay."
Republican governors said:
"Instead of upholding the rule of law and securing the border, the Biden Administration has attacked and sued Texas for stepping up to protect American citizens from historic levels of illegal immigrants, deadly drugs like fentanyl, and terrorists entering our country."Though the letter expressed support of this argument, there were few details about support beyond solidarity. Some signatories posted on X in support of Abbott as well, recalling previously sending national guard troops from their state to help in border control, though none committed additional resources in light of the recent battles.
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