President Donald Trump ordered the deployment of 400 members of the Texas National Guard to other states including Oregon and Illinois, according to Sunday social media posts from the governors of Texas and Illinois.
Though by late Sunday night, a federal judge temporarily blocked the mobilization of any state national guards to Oregon.
On Sunday evening, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, a Democrat, first announced the president’s action, complaining that no one from the federal government had reached out to coordinate. He called it “Trump’s invasion,” and called on Gov. Greg Abbott to withdraw support for the move.
The announcement about the mobilization followed protests at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities in these states that have led to arrests.
Less than an hour later, the Texas governor responded that he “fully authorize[s]” such a move by the president.
“You can either fully enforce protection for federal employees or get out of the way and let Texas Guard do it,” Abbott said in a post on X.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said in a memo about the Texas Guard’s mobilization that “the orders will be effective immediately for an initial period of 60 days.” They could also be extended where needed, including in Portland and Chicago.
It’s unclear how the deployment would proceed, however, as a federal judge on Sunday temporarily blocked the deployment of any National Guard units to Oregon, The Associated Press reported.
Abbott’s office didn’t immediately respond to a question from The Texas Tribune.
This is not the first time Abbott has authorized the Texas National Guard in recent years.
Earlier this year, the governor granted the Texas National Guard the authority to make immigration arrests through an agreement between the state and the Trump administration. The agreement allowed National Guard members to help detain and deport undocumented people in the state.
“Anyone engaging in acts of violence or damaging property will be arrested and held accountable to the full extent of the law,” Abbott said in a June news release announcing the deployment.
Even before Trump began his second term, Abbott dispatched about 10,000 Texas National Guard troops to the U.S.-Mexico border as part of Operation Lone Star — the governor’s border security initiative.
“America must also know that Texas still has thousands of National Guard assisting with the Border security,” Abbott said in his Sunday post.
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