GOP governors rally behind Texas as Abbott defies Biden: ‘Dereliction of duty’

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Top Republican governors from across the U.S. voiced their support for Texas Gov. Greg Abbott as he defies President Biden in an effort to stem the flow of illegal immigration across the U.S.-Mexico border.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis vowed to keep assisting Texas with “personnel and assets as the crisis continues, while South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem accused Biden of “dereliction of duty.” Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt also declared that his state “stands with Texas.”

“If the Constitution really made states powerless to defend themselves against an invasion, it wouldn’t have been ratified in the first place and Texas would have never joined the union when it did,” DeSantis wrote on social media.

“TX is upholding the law while Biden is flouting it. FL will keep assisting Texas with personnel and assets,” he added.

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Top Republican governors from across the U.S. voiced their support for Texas Gov. Greg Abbott as he defies President Biden in an effort to stem the flow of illegal immigration across the U.S.-Mexico border. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)

Abbott defied Biden in a lengthy statement Wednesday, arguing the federal government broke the compact between the U.S. and the individual states.

“The Executive Branch of the United States has a constitutional duty to enforce federal laws protecting states, including immigration laws on the books right now,” Abbott said. “President Biden has refused to enforce those laws and has even violated them.”

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“James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and the other visionaries who wrote the U.S. Constitution foresaw that States should not be left to the mercy of a lawless president who does nothing to stop external threats.”

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has touted his state’s efforts to curb illegal immigration while criticizing the Biden administration over its border policies.  (Getty/Gov. Greg Abbott’s office)

Noem also vowed assistance for Texas in a Wednesday statement, saying Texas has an absolute right to defend itself against invasion.

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“[Abbott] is exactly right to invoke Texas’ constitutional authority to defend itself. The Biden Administration has created a national security crisis and put Americans in danger. Their failure is an unconstitutional dereliction of duty,” she asserted.

Noem vowed assistance for Texas in a Wednesday statement, saying Texas has an absolute right to defend itself against invasion. (Tristan Wheelock/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Abbott is fighting multiple legal battles with the Biden administration, which has threatened legal action over Texas’ seizure of Shelby Park near Eagle Pass. Texas has also filed lawsuits against the administration, which cut razor wire set up by the state on the Rio Grande to prevent migrants from illegally crossing into Texas, as well as the establishment of buoys on the river.

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Meanwhile, Democrats have accused Abbott of using the National Guard to “create chaos” at the border.

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“If Abbott is defying yesterday’s Supreme Court ruling, [Biden] needs to establish sole federal control of the Texas National Guard now,” wrote Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, in reference to a narrow Supreme Court decision allowing federal authorities to cut razor wire along the border.

Fox News’ Greg Wehner contributed to this report