AUSTIN, Texas — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued a statement Wednesday detailing the state's right to defend itself against what he called an "invasion" at the United States-Mexico border.
Abbott blamed the so-called invasion on President Joe Biden's border policies and said he "has instructed his agencies to ignore federal statutes that mandate the detention of illegal immigrants."
He said the federal government's failure at the border has led to illegal immigration records.
Abbott said he has sent and even hand-delivered letters to Biden asking him to perform his "constitutional duties," which he said Biden has ignored.
"Under President Biden’s lawless border policies, more than 6 million illegal immigrants have crossed our southern border in just 3 years. That is more than the population of 33 different States in this country. This illegal refusal to protect the States has inflicted unprecedented harm on the People all across the United States," Abbott said in the statement.
Abbott said the failures at the federal level have led to the state being forced to protect itself. He said the state's right to self-defense "supersedes any federal statutes to the contrary."
Abbott said the Texas National Guard, the Texas Department of Public Safety and other agencies are working to secure the Texas border.