Gov. Abbott deploys over 5,000 Texas National Guard troops ahead of planned ‘No Kings’ protests

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said Thursday he has ordered the deployment of more than 5,000 Texas National Guard troops, along with more than 2,000 state police, to help local law enforcement manage protests against President Donald Trump and the ongoing federal immigration raids.

Abbott’s announcement did not detail where the troops were sent, but some were seen at a protest Wednesday night in downtown San Antonio near the Alamo. That protest drew hundreds of demonstrators but did not erupt into violence.

More protests are planned on Saturday in San Antonio and across Texas in cities such as Houston, Austin and Dallas as part of the national “No Kings” movement.

Protests earlier this week in Austin and Dallas led to brief clashes with police who used chemical irritants to disperse the crowds. About a dozen were arrested.

“Peaceful protests are part of the fabric of our nation, but Texas will not tolerate the lawlessness we have seen in Los Angeles in response to President Donald Trump’s enforcement of immigration law,” Abbott said. “Anyone engaging in acts of violence or damaging property will be arrested and held accountable to the full extent of the law.”

The Republican Texas governor’s move stands in sharp contrast to California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, who has publicly clashed with Trump over his decision to deploy National Guard and Marine personnel in Los Angeles.

Mayors in San Antonio and Austin have said they did not ask for Abbott to mobilize the National Guard to their cities.

Abbott, who has been governor since 2014, has been aggressive in deploying the Guard in the past, particularly for immigration enforcement on the border.

Since 2021, the Texas Guard has played a prominent role in Abbott’s Operation Lone Star, and thousands of troops have been deployed to help clamp down on border crossings. An agreement with the Trump administration in February gave Texas National Guard soldiers the authority to arrest and detain people for entering the U.S. illegally from Mexico.

Texas also has established a permanent border base for Guard troops, an 80-acre (30-hectare) installation that will house up to 1,800 troops when completed.

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