Press Releases

Washington, D.C. -  Today, Chairman Jodey Arrington (TX-19) joined over a dozen GOP lawmakers in a press conference blasting the Biden Administration for the crisis at the Southern Border and supporting Texas Governor Greg Abbott exercising Texas’ sovereign, constitutional right to self-defense.

In June of 2021 - just six months into Biden’s Border Crisis - Arrington introduced H. Res. 50, legislation which reaffirms states’ right to secure their own border and protect their citizens when the federal government fails to act. The resolution, which garnered support from lawmakers from over half of the 50 states, references Article 4 Section 4, which says the federal government “shall protect each of [the states] against invasion,” and Article 1 Section 10, which gives states the sovereign power to repel an invasion and defend their citizenry from “imminent danger” that “will not permit delay.”

Click HERE to watch Chairman Arrington’s full remarks.

“I hosted eight townhalls last week, and we don't have time here today that's sufficient to express the level of outrage that the people in West Texas feel on account of their federal government and their commander in chief abandoning them. Not only has this commander in chief, this derelict president, failed to enforce the laws of the land, abdicated his chief responsibility to provide for a common defense, he has unilaterally surrendered control of our border to terrorist drug cartels. 

But he's gone one more step to add insult to injury to the people of Texas, and to border states, who are trying to fend off this deluge. At every turn, he's used every lever of power to obstruct our leaders from doing the job that he's failed to do. The fundamental question, and I suspect the Supreme Court will answer this, is: “Can Texas and any other state defend its border, protect its citizens, and enforce the laws when the federal government fails to do so?”

The Constitution is explicit and unequivocal in answering that question. Article 4, Section 4 says that every state is guaranteed protection against an invasion by their federal government. And it would make sense that our Founding Fathers would make provision for a circumstance, given that they were pretty wary of a central government. 

And Article 1, Section 10 says if there is an invasion or imminent danger such that will not permit delay, the state has the sovereign constitutionally protected power to defend its border, protect its citizens, and enforce the laws of the land.  And, I would posit that not only do they have the right, I think it's the duty of the state to protect its citizens.

So, let me tell you a few things in closing that I believe to be true. 

Number one, the state that fought and won its independence against another country is not going to play passive victim to a failed federal government. 

Number two, the people of Texas are not going to ask Joe Biden for permission to protect its citizens and defend its border. 

And finally, not only is the constitution on our side, but the American people are on our side as well.”

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