War of words between Texas Gov. Abbott, AG Garland over migrant order

Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott accused the Biden administration Thursday of “jeopardizing the health and safety of Texans on a daily basis” after Attorney General Merrick Garland threatened a lawsuit over a new order allowing state troopers to stop and turn around vehicles suspected of carrying illegal immigrants.

In a letter to Abbott, Garland claimed the governor’s order was “dangerous” as well as “contrary to federal law and cannot be enforced.” The attorney general also claimed the order was unconstitutional, as it “interferes with [federal] immigration enforcement” and obstructs the “release of individuals and the ability of those individuals to comply with federal immigration law.” Garland concluded the letter by declaring that if Abbott did not rescind his order, he would “pursue all appropriate legal remedies to ensure that Texas does not interfere with the functions of the federal govern­ment.”