Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, whose National Guard troops were recently sent to Chicago to assist ICE operations, told Fox News Digital in an interview that the “substantive reason” for his strong working relationship with the president is: “We both believe in the rule of law.”
“President Trump and I have a good, long-standing, working relationship, and there’s a substantive reason for that. We share a belief in the rule of law. We are both committed to public safety. We both prioritize securing the borders,” he stated.
Abbott indicated that he and President Donald Trump are “working in close coordination to ensure our country’s safety.”
“I’m happy to partner with the federal government to ensure our country remains as safe as possible,” he added.
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Currently, approximately 200 Texas National Guard troops are deployed to the Chicago region, with the mission of safeguarding federal law enforcement agents during immigration enforcement activities.
In recent weeks, the Chicago area has experienced anti-ICE protests, some of which have turned into violent disruptions. Large groups of individuals, described by DHS as “violent rioters,” have gathered outside an ICE facility in Broadview, Illinois, a Chicago suburb, repeatedly obstructing federal vehicles from entering and exiting the premises. Earlier this month, federal agents were attacked and blockaded by 10 vehicles amid anti-ICE demonstrations. Almost a dozen individuals were apprehended.
Despite this, DHS has reported minimal support from Democrat leaders in Illinois, as well as from local and state law enforcement.
In response, Abbott authorized Trump to deploy 400 Texas National Guard troops to areas of concern across the nation under Title 10 authority. To date, about half of these troops have been deployed to Illinois, while a legal challenge to the deployment proceeds through federal court.
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Speaking with Fox News Digital, Abbott described the deployment of Texas National Guard troops, who have gained experience maintaining order through deployments to the southern border, as “only natural.”
“The National Guard is trained and skilled in managing civil unrest scenarios. They have dealt with civil unrest along the Texas border for the past four years while Joe Biden was president. They’ve also addressed civil unrest within Texas, when I felt it necessary to deploy them to prevent disturbances in our state. These National Guard troopers are highly trained in handling such environments,” he said. “Therefore, it’s natural that this elite National Guard would be called upon to provide assistance anywhere in the country where it is needed.”
Abbott reiterated that the Trump administration’s vision aligns with Texas, making them ideal partners.
“Texas and the United States share common objectives: to execute the functions of the federal government. These functions include immigration enforcement and ensuring public safety. The Texas National Guard is not there to police Chicago or any other location. They are there to protect the safety and security of federal officials so they can fulfill their constitutional duty to enforce U.S. laws.”
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While he did not specify future collaborations between Texas and the Trump administration, he affirmed that Texas remains prepared to assist wherever necessary.
“Predicting future events with certainty is impossible. However, I can assure you that Texas will respond by stepping up to help our country in any way we can during times of need.”
