Greg Abbott Calls Out Democrat Hypocrisy On States Rights And Border Enforcement

Texas Governor Greg Abbott blasts Democrat hypocrisy on states’ rights and border enforcement, defending Operation Lone Star and tough immigration policies.

Texas Governor isn’t mincing words. As Democrats in Minnesota and other sanctuary states invoke “states’ rights” to resist federal immigration enforcement, Abbott says the sudden shift in tone reeks of hypocrisy.

“Hypocrisy is the word choice that really applies to them,” Abbott said in a recent interview, pointing out that he was widely criticized and even sued for asserting Texas’ authority to protect its border during the Biden years.

The contrast, Abbott argues, couldn’t be clearer.

Back in 2021, Abbott launched Operation Lone Star, deploying Texas state troopers and the Texas National Guard to the southern border. The operation funded barrier construction, increased patrols, and expanded arrests for criminal trespassing tied to illegal crossings. The move sparked lawsuits and fierce opposition from the Biden administration, which accused Texas of overstepping federal authority.

Abbott sees today’s debate differently.

“Texas insisted on states’ rights, but actually what we were doing in Texas during the Biden administration, we were very simply trying to enforce the federal immigration laws that Joe Biden was refusing to enforce,” he explained. “What we see in Minnesota, however, is total chaos… they’re trying to interfere with the enforcement of the law.”

Operation Lone Star was born out of a historic surge at the border. U.S. Customs and Border Protection reported more than 2.4 million encounters in fiscal year 2023 alone, following similarly elevated numbers in prior years. At times, crossings reached an estimated 10,000 per day. The strain rippled through border communities and into major cities across the country.

Abbott maintains that Texas had no choice but to act.

“Joe Biden required Texas to take matters into our own hands because of the lack of safety that he instilled in the country,” he said.

According to Abbott, the results speak for themselves:

• An over 85% decrease in illegal crossings in targeted Texas sectors.

• A more than 40% reduction in fentanyl-related deaths statewide.

• Thousands of arrests tied to criminal smuggling and trafficking networks.

While critics dispute the broader impact, Abbott argues that enforcing immigration laws restores order and deters chaos.

The political stakes are rising as Abbott campaigns for re-election. Democrats, including Senate candidate Rep. Jasmine Crockett, have suggested Texas is trending blue. Abbott disagrees, insisting that voter engagement and policy contrasts will secure another Republican victory.

Beyond border security, Abbott is running on an aggressive property tax reform plan. His five-step proposal would limit local government spending growth, require two-thirds voter approval for property tax hikes, cap homestead appraisal growth at 3%, and pursue a constitutional amendment allowing voters to eliminate school district property taxes for homeowners.

He frames the election as a choice between competing visions of governance:

• Republicans pushing law and order, border enforcement, and tax relief.

• Democrats supporting what he describes as open-border policies and resistance to law enforcement.

Abbott also took aim at bail reform controversies in Harris County, where he says lenient bond practices allowed violent offenders back onto the streets. Texas lawmakers have since passed measures tightening bail rules for certain repeat offenders.

The broader debate over states’ rights has resurfaced in a new context. During the Trump administration, Democrats frequently championed local autonomy to resist federal immigration crackdowns. Under Biden, Republican-led states like Texas argued that Washington’s failure to enforce immigration law forced them to step in.

Now, as sanctuary jurisdictions push back against renewed federal enforcement efforts, Abbott says Democrats can’t have it both ways.

“We are a nation built upon the rule of law,” he said. “When it is enforced, it leads to safer communities.”

Texas has led the nation in population growth for several years, adding more than 470,000 new residents in 2023 alone. Abbott sees that migration as validation of the state’s approach to taxes, regulation, and public safety.

“It’s a constant battle,” he said, “but righteousness and the rule of law will always prevail.”

As immigration once again becomes a defining issue in national politics, the clash over states’ rights and border enforcement is far from settled and Texas remains at the center of it.

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