Texas Gov. Greg Abbott orders state to grab migrants, release them at bridges

Abbott’s unprecedented move could set up a Supreme Court test of state powers on immigration.


AUSTIN – Gov. Greg Abbott on Thursday told state police and Texas National Guard soldiers to begin stopping unauthorized immigrants and taking them to ports of entry, no longer taking them into state custody.

The move immediately was denounced from the left and right.

Abbott, though, defended his action. He said President Joe Biden has failed to prevent an “invasion” of a state, by relaxing his predecessor’s policies in a way that has fueled a surge of unauthorized immigrants.

Still, the Texas governor stopped short of appeasing immigration hard-liners. He neither declared an “invasion” nor ordered migrants to be thrust back across the Rio Grande River at points where they crossed.

“No significant changes to current policy. This is still catch and release,” tweeted a group associated with former Homeland Security official Ken Cuccinelli, who has favored a harsher approach.

Read more: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2022/07/07/texas-gov-greg-abbott-orders-state-to-grab-migrants-release-them-at-bridges/