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Governor Greg Abbott has announced the Texas National Guard will be deployed across the state to enforce “peace and order” ahead of expected protests.
“Peaceful protest is legal,” Abbott wrote in a post on X. “Harming a person or property is illegal & will lead to arrest.”
The Texas Republican has said state officials will “use every tool & strategy” to help law enforcement keep the peace.
“Peaceful protests are part of the fabric of our nation, but Texas will not tolerate the lawlessness we have seen in Los Angeles,” Abbott’s press secretary Andrew Mahaleris said Tuesday night.
“Anyone engaging in acts of violence or damaging property will be swiftly held accountable to the full extent of the law.”
Mass protests are erupting across the United States in response to President Donald Trump‘s crackdown on immigration. The White House has said anyone living in the country “illegally” is a “criminal”. The administration is facing increasing resistance over its mass deportation policy.
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Protests broke out on Friday in reaction to numerous ICE raids throughout Los Angeles. Amid the ongoing tumult, city officials, including Mayor Karen Bass , implemented a curfew for portions of downtown, from 8 p.m. Tuesday to 6 a.m. Wednesday, and it could continue throughout the coming days if warranted.
Meanwhile, Governor Gavin Newsom and President Trump remain embroiled in a bitter war of words over the administration’s response to the protests. Trump deployed the National Guard to quell what he called a “rebellion.” Newsom has vehemently opposed this move, saying that it infringes upon California’s sovereignty and is unconstitutional. He filed a lawsuit challenging the federalization of the National Guard, asserting that the deployment was both unlawful and politically charged.