A report by the Texan said the Parker County Commissioners Court unanimously voted to invoke a law declaring that both the U.S. and Texas are under invasion. Citing the significant presence of illegal immigration and drug trafficking, Parker County's declaration aligned with the use of "invasion" in both the state and federal constitutions.
Ahead of the vote, Parker County Sheriff Russ Authier told commissioners during a meeting: "I think we all know the border is a mess. We see different aspects of it other than our partners who are on the border seeing the human side of the smuggling [and] trafficking of people. A lot of what we're seeing here is drug smuggling."
The Atascosa County Commissioners Court also expressed support for declaring an invasion. County Judge Russell Wilson granted their request by signing a declaration that affirmed the border invasion on July 25. The court must vote to approve his declaration, which it is likely to do.
Wilson's declaration stated that the country is facing an "imminent threat of disaster for the unprecedented levels of illegal immigration and human trafficking and drug smuggling across the U.S. border from Mexico." He added that the border crisis "constitutes an invasion of Texas" that calls for "extraordinary measures must be taken to ensure the protection, health and safety of county residents."
The Atascosa and Parker counties followed several counties that declared an invasion. These include the counties of Goliad, Edwards, Jeff Davis, Terrell, Presidio, Uvalde and Kinney.
Kinney County Attorney Brett Smith said that with the declarations from Parker and Atascosa counties, the significance of the border crisis "cannot be overstated." (Related: Texas border county says it is seeing an "invasion," urges Gov. Abbott to acknowledge.)
"It clearly establishes that the border crisis impacts every county in the state, and is not limited to those communities near the Rio Grande," he told the Center Square. "The safety and security of every Texan is threatened by the federal government's abandonment of its constitutional duty."
Abbott yet to formally declare an invasion
Earlier in July, Gov. Greg Abbott signed an order authorizing the Texas Army National Guard and the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) to apprehend illegal aliens and return them to the border. However, he did not declare an invasion at the time.
"While President [Joe] Biden refuses to do his job and enforce the immigration laws enacted by Congress, the state of Texas is once again stepping up and taking unprecedented action to protect Americans and secure our southern border," he said.
Parker County's declaration quoted Article IV, Section 4 of the U.S. Constitution, which states that the federal government "shall protect [every state] against invasion." However, Abbott accused Biden of reneging on this duty.
Given Washington, D.C.'s inaction, Article 4, Section 7 of the Texas Constitution – which Parker County cited in its declaration – empowers the governor to protect the state from invasion.
"He shall be commander-in-chief of the military forces of the state, except when they are called into actual service of the United States. He shall have power to call forth the militia to execute the laws of the state, to suppress insurrections and to repel invasions."
Russel Vought and Ken Cuccinelli, both from the Center for Renewing America, said in a statement that Abbott's order brought "no significant changes to current policy."
"We acknowledge [the governor's] recognition that the facts on the ground along the border comport with the Constitution's understanding of an invasion. However, [he] does not appear to formally declare an invasion, nor direct the National Guard and DPS to remove illegals across the border directly to Mexico. That is critical; otherwise, this is still catch and release."
Watch Pinal County, Arizona Sheriff Mark Lamb talking about the Texas counties' invasion declaration below.
This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com.
More related stories:
First busload of ILLEGAL ALIENS from Texas arrives in DC, passengers dropped off near Capitol.
Report: Arizona follows Texas lead and starts busing illegal immigrants to Washington, D.C.
SECOND bus from Texas loaded with ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS arrives in Washington, DC.
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