Gov. Greg Abbott issued an additional warning to Texans who this week have been protesting ICE and immigration enforcement — he’s sending in the National Guard.
On Tuesday, Abbott posted on X that the National Guard will be deployed across the state “to ensure peace & order,” less than 24 hours after he invoked the Proud Boys battle cry “FAFO” for protesters who “cross the line.”
Troops are on “standby” in San Antonio, where city officials say they did not request the National Guard or receive warning about Abbott’s actions. The San Antonio Police Department does not have a direct line of communication with the state’s National Guard.
“I don’t have any information about the number [of guards] or what they’re going to do,” said SAPD Chief William McManus during a press conference.
“They don’t have a responsibility to tell me what they’re doing,” he added.
On Sunday, hundreds gathered in Houston and San Antonio, protesting immigration-related arrests — “kidnappings,” as one immigration attorney called them — across the country. Since then, Texas law enforcement has responded with tear gas and pepper spray. On Monday, 14 people were arrested at rallies across the state; 13 in Austin, the Texas Tribune reported, and one in Dallas, according to KERA. The protests have remained largely peaceful — McManus said he hasn’t observed behavior that would warrant deploying federal troops.
Abbott is now calling for backup, just days before “No Kings Day” demonstrations to protest both President Donald Trump’s administration and his multimillion-dollar military birthday parade are planned in cities across Texas.
“Peaceful protests are part of the fabric of our nation, but Texas will not tolerate the lawlessness we have seen in Los Angeles,” Andrew Mahaleris, Abbott’s press secretary, said in a statement to KXAN News.
Over 2,000 troops and 700 Marines have already been deployed to California, where some of the most high-profile anti-ICE protests are taking place.