Twenty-five Republican governors issued a joint declaration on Thursday pledging their support for the state of Texas in its battle against illegal immigration and its legal standoff with the federal government. Texas Governor Greg Abbott, now backed by half the country’s governors and several other prominent Republicans, is doubling down on his accusations that President Joe Biden is neglecting his constitutional duty to secure the border.
As Valuetainment previously reported, Governor Abbott released a statement on Wednesday laying out Texas’ right to defend itself from the immigrant invasion in the absence of federal intervention. According to Abbott, Biden’s failure to uphold Article IV, § 4 of the US Constitution—which mandates that the federal government protect each state from invasion—has triggered Article I, § 10, Clause 3, “which reserves to this State the right of self-defense.”
My statement on Texas’ constitutional right to self-defense. pic.twitter.com/seNFZdmujP
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) January 24, 2024
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A Supreme Court ruling handed down on Monday determined that federal agents can begin removing razor wire barricades along the Rio Grande to allow additional migrants to cross. However, contrary to what many outlets have reported, the ruling did not prohibit Texas from replacing the barricades faster than the feds can tear them down—a loophole Texas has seized on since the decision went into effect.
Following Abbott’s declaration, elected officials around the country have rushed to pick a side in the brewing legal conflict. After individually pledging that their states “stand with Texas” on X, 25 Republican governors issued the following statement of solidarity:
President Biden and his Administration have left Americans and our country completely vulnerable to unprecedented illegal immigration pouring across the Southern border. 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.
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. We do it in part because the Biden Administration is refusing to enforce immigration laws already on the books and is illegally allowing mass parole across America of migrants who entered our country illegally.
The authors of the U.S. Constitution made clear that in times like this, states have a right of self-defense, under Article 4, Section 4 and Article 1, Section 10, Clause 3 of the U.S. Constitution. 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.
The statement’s signatories include:
- Governor Kay Ivey (AL)
- Governor Mike Dunleavy (AK)
- Governor Sarah Sanders (AR)
- Governor Ron DeSantis (FL)
- Governor Brian Kemp (GA)
- Governor Brad Little (ID)
- Governor Eric Holcomb (IN)
- Governor Kim Reynolds (IA)
- Governor Jeff Landry (LA)
- Governor Tate Reeves (MS)
- Governor Mike Parson (MO)
- Governor Greg Gianforte (MT)
- Governor Jim Pillen (NE)
- Governor Joe Lombardo (NV)
- Governor Chris Sununu (NH)
- Governor Doug Burgum (ND)
- Governor Mike DeWine (OH)
- Governor Kevin Stitt (OK)
- Governor Henry McMaster (SC)
- Governor Kristi Noem (SD)
- Governor Bill Lee (TN)
- Governor Spencer Cox (UT)
- Governor Glenn Youngkin (VA)
- Governor Jim Justice (WV)
- Governor Mark Gordon (WY)
The only Republican governor who did not cosign the declaration was Phil Scott of Vermont. No Democrats put their names on the list.
Related: Immigration Overtakes Inflation as Country’s Biggest Concern, Voters Blame Biden
The 25 governors were also joined by House Speaker Mike Johnson, who pledged that the House of Representatives would “do everything in its power to back [Abbott] up,” starting with holding Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas accountable.
I stand with Governor Abbott. The House will do everything in its power to back him up.
The next step: holding Secretary Mayorkas accountable. https://t.co/XkO5jvBuJl
— Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) January 25, 2024
After a full day of nudging by elected leaders and online commentators, current Republican frontrunner and former President Donald Trump issued a statement as well.
In a two-part Truth Social post, Trump touted his own successes with border security and condemned Biden’s actions that have allowed the “invasion to continue unchecked.” The former president also called for Texas to receive “full support” and urged “all willing states to deploy their guards to Texas to prevent the entry of illegals, and to remove them back across the border.”
Connor Walcott is a staff writer for Valuetainment.com. Follow Connor on X (Twitter) and look for him on VT’s “The Unusual Suspects.”
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