Growing Number of Texas Counties Declare ‘Invasion’ at Border
Two more Texas counties confirmed they have declared an invasion at the U.S.–Mexico border in recent days amid historically high illegal immigration.
The Parker County Commissioners Court unanimously voted this week to invoke a law to say that the United States and Texas are under invasion, local media reported.
Because of the significant presence of illegal immigration and drug trafficking, the declaration says it is “an invasion of Parker County, Texas, as the term ‘invasion’ is used in Article IV, Section 4 of the U.S. Constitution and in Article 4, Section 7 of the Texas Constitution.”
“I think we all know the border is a mess,” Parker County Sheriff Russ Authier told commissioners during the meeting ahead of the vote. “We see different aspects of it other than our partners who are on the border seeing the human side of the smuggling, trafficking of people. A lot of what we’re seeing here is the drug smuggling.”
The Atascosa County Commissioners Court also separately declared the surge of illegal immigration an invasion on Monday. Judge Russell Wilson signed a disaster declaration affirming the invasion at the border.
Kinney County Attorney Brent Smith told The Center Square that with the declarations from Parker and Atascosa counties, “the significance … cannot be overstated.” Kinney County and several other Texas counties issued a similar declaration earlier in July.
Goliad, Edwards, Jeff Davis, Terrell, and Presidio counties also declared an invasion this month.
“It clearly establishes that the border crisis impacts every county in the state and is not limited to those communities near the Rio Grande,” Smith also told the outlet. “The safety and security of every Texan is threatened by the federal government’s abandonment of its constitutional duty. I encourage every county in the state to acknowledge the crisis is an invasion. If Texans don’t save Texas, no one will.”
Earlier in July, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed an order authorizing the Texas National Guard and the Texas Department of Public Safety to apprehend illegal immigrants who cross the Mexican border into Texas and return them back to the border. Unlike the counties, the Republican governor didn’t declare an invasion.
[But the TX Governor is allowed to declare an invasion! More at link]
Because of the significant presence of illegal immigration and drug trafficking, the declaration says it is “an invasion of Parker County, Texas, as the term ‘invasion’ is used in Article IV, Section 4 of the U.S. Constitution and in Article 4, Section 7 of the Texas Constitution.”"
This is getting serious. Parker County is about 30 minutes west of me here in Tarrant County in NORTH Texas. Minimum 300 miles as the crow flies to the closest point on the Mexico border.