Gov. Abbott Invokes Founding Fathers: Texas Has ‘Constitutional Right to Self-Defense’ Against Invasion

“The Executive Branch of the United States has a constitutional duty to enforce federal laws protecting States, including immigration laws on the books right now,” Abbott wrote. “President Biden has refused to enforce those laws and has even violated them. The result is that he has smashed records for illegal immigration.”

Moreover, Gov. Abbott pointed out Biden’s policy of destroying razor wire actually endangers the lives of illegal immigrants by enabling them to enter the US via dangerous illegal crossings on the Rio Grande River, rather than claim asylum at legal points of entry.

“By wasting taxpayer dollars to tear open Texas’s border security infrastructure President Biden has enticed illegal immigrants away from the 28 legal entry points along this State’s southern border — bridges where nobody drowns — and into the dangerous waters of the Rio Grande.”

Gov. Abbott’s statement continued: “This illegal refusal to protect the States has inflicted unprecedented harm on the People all across the United States.”

Abbott went on to note the Framers of the US Constitution allowed for States to take control of matters should the federal government fail them.

“James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and other visionaries who wrote the U.S. Constitution foresaw that States should not be left to the mercy of a lawless president who does nothing to stop external threats like cartels smuggling millions of illegal immigrants across the border. That is why the Framers included both Article IV § 4, which promises that the federal government “shall protect each [State] against invasion],” and Article I, § 10, Clause 3, which acknowledges “the States’ sovereign interest in protecting their borders.”

Gov. Abbott argued the Biden admin’s dereliction of duty in defending Texas’ sovereignty and against invasion had indeed triggered Texas’ constitutional authority to assume control of the matter.

“The failure of the Biden administration to fulfill the duties by Article IV, § 4 has triggered Article I, § 10, Clause 3, which reserves to this State the right of self-defense. For these reasons, I have already declared an invasion under Article I, § 10, Clause 3 to invoke Texas’s constitutional authority to defend and protect itself,” Abbott wrote.

“That authority is the supreme law of the land and supersedes any federal statutes to the contrary. The Texas National Guard, the Texas Department of Public Safety, and other Texas personnel are acting on that authority, as well as state law, to secure the Texas border.”

The governor’s statement comes as footage Tuesday showed the Texas National Guard installing more razor wire along the border in Eagle Pass, despite the Supreme Court ruling last week allowing Border Patrol agents to cut the wire.