In anticipation of more anti-ICE raid protests within the state, Texas Governor Greg Abbott placed the National Guard “on standby.”
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Minutes after midnight on Wednesday, Abbott confirmed the news. “Texas National Guard will be deployed to locations across the state to ensure peace & order,” he wrote. “Peaceful protests are legal. Harming a person or property is illegal & will lead to arrest.”
The Texas governor then stated that the National Guard will utilize every tool and strategy to assist law enforcement in maintaining order.
Numerous protests are scheduled to occur in San Antonio this week.
Abbott’s decision to deploy the National Guard comes just days after the unrest in Los Angeles following numerous protests against the ICE raids last week.
Responding to the increase in unrest, President Trump decided to deploy the National Guard to Los Angeles.
The world leader issued a statement, revealing the federal government would “step in and solve the problem” following the second day of the unrest. He signed a presidential memorandum to deploy the troops to “address the lawlessness that has been allowed to fester.”
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has also released a statement about the protests. “We will not be deterred by rioters. ICE immigration enforcement will only ramp up. Federal law enforcement is working to protect and safeguard American citizens from criminal illegal aliens.”
The Trump administration has since received pushback from the city’s mayor, Karen Bass, and California Governor Gavin Newsom. The state has filed a lawsuit against the Trump Administration about the National Guard deployment.
Dallas Police Arrest One Person During Recent Anti-ICE Protest
Texas Governor Abbott’s National Guard deployment decision comes just as more anti-ICE protests erupt in various cities throughout the U.S.
According to FOX 4, one person was arrested during an anti-ICE protest in Dallas on Monday. Gerardo Velasquez Jr., 27, was identified as the detained protester. He was charged with assault of a peace officer and attempting to take a weapon from an officer.
The Dallas Police Department alleged Velasquez was seen hitting the window of a fully-marked police squad car with tactical equipment inside. He reportedly became combative when officers tried to take him into custody.
“We want to keep everyone safe,” Dallas Police Chief Daniel Comeaux stated. “That’s our main goal, to keep every single person in Dallas safe. If you’re a protester, we also want to keep you safe. Last night, one individual was arrested. Hopefully, we can go with protests where no one’s arrested because all we want to do is keep everyone safe.”