Texas Democrats are calling for the immediate withdrawal of Texas National Guard troops from cities across the country.
Gov. Greg Abbott recently announced that he would offer Texas National Guardsmen to President Donald Trump as part of the president’s plan to station troops in liberal American cities as if they are war zones. In the past few days, Abbott has authorized the deployment of hundreds of Texas troops to Portland and Chicago, though a judge eventually ruled that troops would not be allowed in Oregon.
Led by U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, nine other Texas Democrats signed onto the letter to Abbott, including U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-El Paso, and U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Dallas.
“As members of Congress representing Texans, we urge you to immediately decline, withdraw, and refuse any cooperation or support for the deployment of the Texas National Guard to Portland, Oregon, Chicago, Illinois, or any other state for civilian or criminal law enforcement purposes,” the lawmakers wrote. “Despite Illinois’ pending litigation in federal court, you’ve willingly sent 200 Texas National Guard troops to Chicago. This request is urgent, grounded in U.S. law, public safety, and our responsibility to the people of Texas.”
The letter noted that a Trump-appointed U.S. District Court judge has already ruled that the deployment in Portland “violated constitutional and other federal statutory law.”
“Texans did not join the National Guard to be used as a political weapon aimed at fellow American citizens in another state,” the letter stated. “Our Guard members are citizen-soldiers who serve in disasters, defend our state, and serve overseas when required. Turning them into a domestic police force in another state — especially over that state’s objections — erodes public trust and undermines the Guard’s core mission.”
History of Texas National Guard deployments
Like many state National Guard units, Texas Guard troops have a long history of deployments beginning in 1910 when troops were sent to the U.S.-Mexico border in response to raids related to the Mexican Revolution, according to Texapedia.
During World War I, Texas Guard units were sent to France to take part in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive and other key battles in the waning days of the war.
In the 1920s and 1930s, Texas Guard troops were used to suppress labor protests, maintain order during oilfield strikes, monitors lynching threats and racial violence, and assist during floods along the Brazos and Trinity rivers.
During World War II, Texas Guard troops were once again called overseas to places like Italy, France and Germany, and they were frequently called on to quash civil rights protests during the Jim Crow era and student demonstrations during the Vietnam War.
While the Texas Guard was also deployed to assist during Hurrican Katrina, the current deployment appears to mark the first time Texas troops have been used as instruments on law enforcement in other states.
Demands for Gov. Abbott
Along with chiding Abbott for volunteering National Guard troops for Trump’s domestic assault, lawmakers also issued the following list of demands for the governor:
“Our state faces hurricanes, wildfires, and other emergencies that demand readiness at home,” the lawmakers wrote. “When the federal government sends our troops to police our neighbors, it creates more fear and distrust, and is an inappropriate and unacceptable diversion of personnel, equipment, and funds. Deploying Texas troops to another state, even under a federalized posture, is deeply concerning, and it sets a dangerous precedent that states can police one another’s communities.”
Senate candidate weighs in
It’s not just Texas’ House Democrats that are calling on Abbott to reverse course — U.S. Senate candidate Colin Allred, a former member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas, shared a similar sentiment.
“The courageous men and women of our National Guard are not political props,” Allred said in a statement Tuesday, Oct. 7. “They signed up to serve their neighbors in times of disaster and crisis — to protect our communities, not to be used as pawns in political stunts.”
“Many of these guardsmen are students working to pay for their education, parents balancing family and civilian jobs, and Texans who volunteered out of a sense of duty,” he continued. “Pulling them away from their families and livelihoods for a made-for-TV deployment is a perversion of their patriotism.”
“Instead of defending Texans, Gov. Abbott is playing along with a dangerous stunt that undermines state authority and drags our guard into politics. Texans should be outraged that our governor is entertaining this abuse of power — and demand real leadership that defends our state’s bravest instead of exploiting them.”
Adam Powell covers government and politics for the El Paso Times and can be reached via email at apowell@elpasotimes.com.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Texas Democrats urge Gov. Greg Abbott to withdraw Guard troops from Illinois, Oregon
Reporting by Adam Powell, El Paso Times / El Paso Times
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
