County Judge Jacques Blanchette signed the resolution as well as Commissioners Joe Blacksher, Stevan Sturrock, Mike Marshall, and Charles “Buck” Hudson.
The county seat of Tyler County is Woodville, which is about 60 miles north of Beaumont.
The commissioners court cited methamphetamine trafficking as part of the basis for the action, mirroring language used by Parker County officials in a similar document passed in July.
The proclamation echoed what other counties have expressed, citing provisions in the U.S. and Texas constitutions that allow the state to protect itself from invasions.
Local officials in other counties have passed similar proclamations or urged Abbott to declare an invasion concerning illegal immigration, including Parker, Goliad, Wise, Tyler, Atascosa, Terrell, Kinney, Uvalde, Burnet, and Medina.
Gov. Greg Abbott signed an executive order in early July that called illegal immigration an “invasion” and directed Texas Department of Public Safety officers and National Guardsmen to return illegal aliens to ports of entry along the southern border. However, he did not order state officials to deport illegal immigrants without federal involvement, which could be a criminal act under U.S. law.
As of last week, 3,900 illegal aliens had been transferred to ports of entry, per data provided to The Texan by the governor’s office.
Tyler County urged Abbott to take “necessary steps” to secure the border, though deportations by the state government were not mentioned.
The Tyler County resolution also endorses Operation Lone Star, the state’s border security effort. Abbott’s office reported last week that the program has resulted in the apprehension of about 292,700 illegal aliens, including 18,400 criminals. 15,700 felony charges have also been filed.
The update also indicated 326 million lethal doses of fentanyl have been confiscated.
A copy of the resolution can be found below.
###
Disclosure: Unlike almost every other media outlet, The Texan is not beholden to any special interests, does not apply for any type of state or federal funding, and relies exclusively on its readers for financial support. If you’d like to become one of the people we’re financially accountable to, click here to subscribe.
Hayden Sparks
Hayden Sparks is a senior reporter for The Texan and a lifelong resident of the Lone Star State. He has coached competitive speech and debate and has been involved in politics since a young age. One of Hayden's favorite quotes is by Sam Houston: "Texas has yet to learn submission to any oppression, come from what source it may."
