Texas Governor Greg Abbott has announced an increase in the state’s National Guard presence to support law enforcement ahead of a large protest scheduled for this weekend. This protest is in response to President Trump’s immigration policies.
Abbott has issued multiple statements about unrest in Los Angeles, prompting Trump to deploy thousands of National Guard members and Marines to the city, despite local and national leaders’ objections.
“While peaceful protests are essential to our democracy, Texas will not stand for the lawlessness we witnessed in Los Angeles during the response to (Trump’s) immigration enforcement,” Abbott stated. “Those who engage in violence or vandalism will face arrest and consequences according to the law.”
“Don’t disrupt Texas, and don’t undermine Texas law enforcement,” he added.
On social media platform X, Abbott mentioned that the National Guard is prepared to “maintain peace and order” as protests regarding immigration and customs enforcement (ICE) begin to spread throughout California.
The protest is anticipated to grow, with organizing groups like King and 50501 planning events across multiple states, including Texas, New York, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Tennessee, Florida, Alabama, and Georgia.
Apart from deploying National Guard troops, Abbott confirmed that over 2,000 officials from the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), including special agents and Texas Rangers, have been called in to reinforce the existing DPS troopers already present statewide.
California’s Governor Gavin Newsom has criticized Trump throughout the week, and the state has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration for its decision to federalize the National Guard and deploy Marines.
There are concerns that the military presence in Los Angeles may set a precedent for similar actions in other states, with discussions ongoing about the potential mobilization of troops elsewhere. Hegseth mentioned at a Senate hearing that the order could extend to other states, but he hopes that proactive measures will be taken to prevent unrest.
