Texas Border Is 'Powder Keg' Situation, Republican Governor Warns

Tensions between authorities in Texas and the federal government over illegal immigration across the southern border are a "powder keg" according to Oklahoma's Republican Governor Kevin Stitt, who was asked about the danger of "a force-on-force conflict" between state and federal forces.

On Monday the Supreme Court ruled federal agents could remove razor-wire from the Texas-Mexico border which had been put in place by state authorities, including the Texas National Guard. This sparked a furious response from Governor Greg Abbott who on Wednesday released a letter invoking "Texas's constitutional authority to defend and protect itself" against what he termed as a migrant "invasion" of the Lone Star State. Two Democratic Congressmen from Texas have suggested President Joe Biden could federalize the Texas National Guard, removing them from Abbott's control.

In a statement released on Thursday, 25 Republican governors, including Stitt, expressed "solidarity" with Abbott adding: "Texas has a constitutional right to defend itself and the nation."

Stitt appeared on conservative leaning network Newsmax on Thursday, where host Carl Higbie asked whether there could be a standoff between federal and state authorities if Biden moves to federalize the Texas National Guard.

Higbie asked: "Let's say this showdown. I mean that's what it is, it's a showdown, it's a showdown of power and loyalties and constitutionality. Let's say he does that, how many people say, 'No. You know what? Screw you, Biden administration,' and how many people stay and fight with Texas versus the federal things, and does that put us on course for a force-on-force conflict?"

The Oklahoma governor replied: "I mean right now you've got the federal agents who are cutting the wire and then you've got the Texas National Guard on orders to put up wire, this is a powder keg worth of tension. It's a very weird situation, we certainly stand with Texas on the right to defend themselves."

Referring to the Texas National Guard Stitt added: "Biden's gonna be in a tough situation, so in other words, he's going to try to federalize these troops…I think they would be in a difficult situation to protect their homeland or to follow what Biden's saying. I think it will be very interesting."

Stitt also suggested the National Guards of other Republican controlled states, including his own, could be sent to Texas in support of Abbott. He commented: "You've got Oklahoma and Florida and Tennessee and you've got all these other states that would send our National Guard to help and to support the efforts of Governor Abbott, because every state is a border state.

"You talked about fentanyl. The deaths in Oklahoma since I've taken office are up 500 percent and we know that's coming across the southern border, and then you think about the terrorists."

In a statement also released on Thursday, Donald Trump, by some margin the favorite to be the GOP's 2024 presidential candidate, urged other states to send their National Guards to Texas to back its governor.

He said: "In the face of this National Security, Public Safety, and Public Health Catastrophe, Texas has rightly invoked the Invasion Clause of the Constitution, and must be given full support to repel the Invasion.

"We encourage all willing States to deploy their guards to Texas to prevent the entry of Illegals, and to remove them back across the Border."

Newsweek contacted the White House press office by email at 3:20 a.m. ET. This article will be updated if they choose to comment.

If Biden does federalize the Texas National Guard, Daniel Miller, head of the pro-independence Texas Nationalist Movement, has urged Abbott to greatly expand and militarize the Texas State Guard, which at present can't be federalized.

Thousands of Texas National Guard soldiers are currently taking part in Operation Lone Star, launched by Abbott in 2021 to boost border security.

Speaking to Newsweek, Miller said: "When Abbott first began using the Texas National Guard for Operation Lone Star, there was always a risk that the federal government would call the Guard into federal service and order them to stand down.

"This is precisely why it's been our position since 2012 that the Texas State Guard should be the primary vehicle used by the Texas Military Department for border protection. By law, the Texas State Guard cannot be federalized and remain solely under the authority of the Governor of the State of Texas.

"We predicted this would ultimately be the tactic used by the federal government in an attempt to keep the Texas border wide open to the cartels, and yet again, we've been proven right."