Speaker Johnson backs Abbott’s border ‘invasion’ decree

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) sided with Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) in his feud with the federal government over razor wire along the U.S.-Mexico border, saying Thursday that he would “back him up.”

“I stand with Governor Abbott. The House will do everything in its power to back him up,” Johnson wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

The comments come after the Supreme Court sided with the federal government in seeking to remove the razor wire Texas had installed along the border. The administration argued it was impeding authorities like the Border Patrol from doing their job and posed a danger to law enforcement and migrants.

Still, it’s not clear there’s much the House can do to support Abbott, though Johnson pointed to a separate effort from House Republicans to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.

“The next step: holding Secretary Mayorkas accountable,” he wrote.

Removing Mayorkas from his post would have little impact on the feud between Texas and the federal government, even as the GOP argues he should be removed over his handling of the border.

It’s also unlikely to happen, given that it would require a two-thirds vote in the Democrat-led Senate.

But Johnson’s support comes as some Democrats have called on President Biden to take a tougher stance with Texas, which through Operation Lone Star has taken a number of measures challenging the federal government.

That includes placing buoys in the Rio Grande, prompting the federal government to take Texas to court.

And earlier this month, Texas officials took over a public park on the shores of the Rio Grande in Eagle Pass, using Texas National Guard troops to block the Border Patrol from accessing the park. 

Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Texas) earlier this week called for a federalization of the Texas National Guard, which as a military unit is ultimately under the command of Biden as commander in chief.

Rep. Greg Casar (D-Texas) followed suit Wednesday.

“I agree with Congressman Castro: if Abbott is defying yesterday’s Supreme Court ruling, President Biden needs to establish sole federal control of the Texas National Guard,” Casar said.

Abbott didn’t get into specifics Wednesday but accused Biden of violating immigration laws and cited the constitutional authority for a state to defend itself against “invasion,” a decree he made in September.

“That authority is the supreme law of the land and supersedes any federal statutes to the contrary. The Texas National Guard, the Texas Department of Public Safety, and other Texas personnel are acting on that authority, as well as state law, to secure the Texas border,” Abbott wrote.