Greg Abbott Raises Stakes With Texas Border Wall Construction

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has continued to build on his Texas border defenses amid a standoff with President Joe Biden's administration on the issue.

Abbott shared a video to X, formerly Twitter, on January 30, writing: "Border wall construction is ongoing along the Texas-Mexico border." He said the state "will continue to use every tool and strategy available to defend our southern border."

The Texas governor has continued to argue that the state has a right to protect itself from what he has called an "invasion" at the border, but a Supreme Court ruling said agents could cut razor wire along the Rio Grande. This has not happened in the key area of Shelby Park in Eagle Pass, Texas, where agents have been refused entry by the Texas National Guard.

The Biden administration says the wire prevents border agents from accessing key areas.

Abbott's office confirmed to Newsweek the footage was not taken from Eagle Pass, but in Starr County.

To get around the problem, Texas Democratic Reps. Greg Casar and Joaquin Castro, along with former gubernatorial candidate Beto O'Rourke, called on Biden to federalize the National Guard, which would place it under the control of the White House.

"We are prepared in the event that that unlikely event does occur to make sure that we will be able to continue exactly what we've been doing over the past month, and that is building these barriers," Abbott told commentator Tucker Carlson on his Uncensored show. The Texas governor also said Biden federalizing the guard would be "boneheaded."

In a January 24 press release, Abbott said: "I have already declared an invasion under Article I, Section 10, Clause 3 to invoke Texas's constitutional authority to defend and protect itself. That authority is the supreme law of the land and supersedes any federal statutes to the contrary."

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Govs. Kristi Noem and Kim Reynolds of South Dakota and Iowa, respectively, have echoed Abbott's language of an "invasion."

Both governors are signatories to a letter from 25 Republican governors expressing support for Abbott's policies.

The governors said they "stand in solidarity" with Abbott over "utilizing every tool and strategy, including razor wire fences, to secure the border."

Cruz said Texas has "the constitutional authority to protect itself" and said he was "proud to stand with Texas and Gov. Abbott as we work to stop this invasion."

Abbott has cited Article Four, Section Four, of the constitution, which says the U.S. "shall protect each [state] against invasion."

But New York University law lecturer Professor Peter Shane called Abbott's declaration "nonsense."

"Governors have no power to declare anything under the U.S. Constitution, nor does the Constitution give states any legal power to countermand the exercise of federal authority," Shane told Newsweek previously.

Senate Republicans have continued to negotiate a deal regarding the border, but it could face difficulty getting through the House. No deal has yet been agreed upon.

Trump, the favorite to become GOP nomination for president, has significant support in the House. He has said there is "zero chance I will support this horrible open borders betrayal of America," The Hill reported.

Speaker Mike Johnson previously said the deal would be "dead on arrival."

On January 30, Johnson told reporters it was "absurd" that House Republicans were ready to spike a potential deal to keep the issue unresolved and therefore potentially more effective ammunition for Trump in his presidential campaign.

Johnson, asked by CNN's chief congressional correspondent Manu Raju if this was a consideration, said: "We have a responsibility here to do our duty. Our duty is to do right by the American people, to protect the American people."