


Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX) announced on Thursday that he is deploying 5,000 National Guard troops in response to planned protests this weekend against President Donald Trump and his administration’s immigration raids.
“Peaceful protests are part of the fabric of our nation, but Texas will not tolerate the lawlessness we have seen in Los Angeles in response to President Donald Trump’s enforcement of immigration law,” Abbott said. “Anyone engaging in acts of violence or damaging property will be arrested and held accountable to the full extent of the law.”
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Abbott will also deploy more than 2,000 state police officers to assist local law enforcement officers and Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in maintaining civil order.
This Saturday, on the same day as Trump’s birthday and military parade, “No Kings” protests will be held in San Antonio and Austin to oppose Trump’s leadership. Protests are also organized in other major cities nationwide, including Washington, D.C., Chicago, and New York.
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Troops were seen on Wednesday night in San Antonio responding to a protest, which garnered hundreds of demonstrators, but it did not turn violent. Last Sunday, protesters were also seen in downtown San Antonio holding signs that read “Abolish ICE” and waving the Mexican flag.
Meanwhile, in Austin, six demonstrators were arrested for their involvement in a “planned and well-publicized protest” near the state capitol. They have been charged with felony criminal mischief and resisting arrest.
“Texas is a law-and-order state, and the department has zero tolerance for individuals disrupting public order or endangering law enforcement officers,” the Texas Department of Public Safety said in a news release.
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Abbott’s deployment of the National Guard comes as Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) has strongly rebuked Trump for deploying the National Guard in response to the riots that broke out in Los Angeles over the weekend. Newsom went as far as to say that “democracy is under attack.”
“When Donald Trump sought blanket authority to commandeer the National Guard, he made that order apply to every state in this nation,” Newsom said after days of anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement protests in Los Angeles. “California may be first, but it clearly will not end here. Other states are next. Democracy is next.”