The Trump administration is pushing ahead with a plan to deploy hundreds of Texas National Guard soldiers to Democratic-led parts of the country as it seeks to ramp up its criminal justice crackdown.

A Trump-appointed federal judge has temporarily blocked a deployment to Oregon, which was meant to respond to protests at Immigration and Customs Enforcement buildings, while a lawsuit plays out. But a Chicago-based judge appointed by former President Joe Biden declined to immediately halt the Illinois mobilization in a Monday afternoon hearing.

The Trump administration has argued that protests outside of ICE facilities necessitate additional security, while city and state officials have said the demonstrations are largely peaceful and expressed concern that soldiers could escalate tensions.

Hearst Newspapers reached out to top Texas leaders, local officials and the state’s entire congressional delegation to ask whether they support the deployment of the Texas National Guard in this case. Read their responses below.

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President Trump does not have the authority to deploy the Texas National Guard other than under specific circumstances: invasion, rebellion, or if 'the President is unable with the regular forces to execute the laws of the United States.' There is simply no evidence that is the case now in any state in the United States. It is utterly inconsistent with the principles of freedom and self-determination that Texans celebrate for Governor Abbott to go along with weaponization and attempted politicization of the United States military against our fellow Americans. I urge Governor Abbott not to support the deployment of Texas National Guard to Oregon or to any other state for domestic policing purposes, especially as our Texas National Guard is still assisting in the ongoing recovery and relief efforts in the Hill Country and is needed here at home.
- Lizzie Fletcher, Democrat, U.S. House Texas District 7
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View this full article in the Houston Chronicle.