Texas: The Invasion’s Front Line

“SECURE THE BORDER AND PROTECT TEXANS”

 

As the Supreme Court disallows Trump’s “Remain In Mexico” strategy that had helped stem the tide of illegal immigration on our southern border, we will no longer have that policy in place to dissuade illegals from coming into Mexico to attempt entry into the U.S.

 

Now we are at the point of having to square off, toe to toe, not only with the masses of illegals overwhelming the border, but the cartels who are both the engine and the muscle behind them, and to whom Mexican law enforcement has already capitulated. In other words, now the invasion will play out exclusively on our soil. And Texas is the front line.

 

Did you know that:

 

            U.S. Border Patrol reported more than 3 million encounters during 2021, far                                               greater than the population of the entire Austin metro area?

 

            This number included human traffickers, jihadists and criminals on the terror watchlist?

 

            Monthly border crossings exceed 200,000 illegals?

 

            145,000 unaccompanied minors were apprehended by Border Patrol in just 2021?

 

            1 in 3 women are sexually assaulted on their way to the U.S. border?

           

            Enough fentanyl has entered this country to kill every American five times over?

 

The issue is heating up as sheriffs, mayors and judges from border counties held a press conference outlining the impacts of the mass border incursions on their small communities. Time and again during the presser they intentionally used the word “invasion,” invoking Texans’ right to defend against it, and citing clauses from the U.S. and Texas Constitutions to support their position.

While praising Abbott for the financial largess he has lavished on the border issue, all acknowledged that it is not enough. It is up to the Governor himself to declare an invasion, giving the State of Texas the right not only to arrest, and detain, but deport illegals. These powers are granted by the U.S. Constitution under Article I, Section 10.

Abbott’s executive order stops short of such measures. While he authorizes the Texas National Guard and DPS to detain illegals, they will only be returned to the border. Many, including Ken Cuccinelli and Russ Vought of the Center for Renewing America are critical of Abbott’s new order:

“The Governor does not appear to formally declare an invasion nor direct the National Guard and Department of Public Safety to remove illegals across the border directly to Mexico. That is critical. Otherwise this is still catch and release.”

 

The Center for Renewing America has also made Texcentric suggestions about handling the crisis internally: we could refuse state funds for localities that attempt to make themselves “sanctuary cities,” implement E-verify, and stop subsidizing illegals with taxpayer dollars, curtailing access to State Financial Aid, in state tuition, public hospital care, education, and housing. Ken Paxton estimates that Texans pay upwards of $900 million per year to provide these benefits.

The Texas GOP is urging our elected officials to take the heat for this out of control crisis, crafting a priority statement for the upcoming legislative session. “Secure the Border and Protect Texans” states:

“Texas shall immediately deny all taxpayer funded services and subsidies to illegal aliens. We call upon the Governor to assert his duty under Article 1, Section 10, Clause 3 of the US Constitution to declare an invasion on our Texas border and do everything in his power to protect Texans from this invasion. The legislature shall direct the Governor to enter into an Interstate Compact with one or more states for Border Security.”

Texans can solve this crisis with the tools at our disposal. We have the know how. Now we need to mobilize the political will to make it happen.