Abbott Deploys National Guard To San Antonio Ahead Of Wednesday Night ICE Protest

Setting himself in stark contrast to California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has ordered a contingent of National Guard soldiers to San Antonio ahead of protests against the apprehensions of illegal aliens planned for Wednesday night and Saturday.  

“Peaceful protests are part of the fabric of our nation, but Texas will not tolerate the lawlessness we have seen in Los Angeles,” Abbott’s press secretary said in a Tuesday night statement. “Anyone engaging in acts of violence or damaging property will be swiftly held accountable to the full extent of the law.”

News of the deployment of National Guard soldiers comes after lawless conduct by demonstrators in Austin on Monday night. Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) officers aided local police in managing a response that kept the theft and destruction to a minimum. “During Monday evening’s response, DPS personnel deployed tear gas and pepper ball projectiles to ensure officer safety and maintain order,” said DPS in a statement. Five arrests were made, with charges including felony criminal mischief and resisting arrest. Here’s video of the tear-gas deployment: 

UNLAWFUL ASSEMBLY:
Police declare the protest in Austin Texas an unlawful assembly

Watch as police launch tear gas at Antifa / Anti ICE / Trans / LGBT protesters

Journalist @cahnman with Texas Scorecard caught incredible footage. Sub and follow! YouTube Channel below! pic.twitter.com/68Y8K4vEpy

— Joseph Trimmer (@JosephTrimmer_) June 10, 2025

The Wednesday protest at City Hall in San Antonio promises to be just a warm-up for Saturday, when leftists are planning “No Kings Day Nationwide Day of Defiance” protests in cities all across the country — coinciding with a military parade in Washington to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the US Army (which also happens to be Trump’s 79th birthday). Saturday’s uprising is receiving organizational backing — or, at the very least, logistical support — from a web of nearly 200 groups, including a wide range of NGOs.  

As Abbott deploys soldiers as a preventative measure, Newsom has filed for an emergency restraining order blocking Trump from dispatching troops to patrol Los Angeles, following four days of burning and looting and attacks on police. Abbott has aggressively deployed the National Guard before — to fend off invasions of Texas by illegal immigrants. In defiance of then-President Biden, he deployed troops to the Rio Grande border city of Eagle Pass, where the pace of illegal crossings reached a jaw-dropping 4,000 in a single day. Abbott even built a new, permanent military base in the vicinity — Forward Operating Base Eagle — to support his long-running, border-focused Operation Lone Star, which is a joint undertaking of the National Guard and DPS. 

“The State of Texas stands ready to deploy all necessary personnel and resources to uphold law and order across our state,” said Abbott’s press secretary on Tuesday. “Texas National Guard soldiers are on standby in areas where mass demonstrations are planned in case they are needed.” Note that, while it’s certainly a “blue city,” San Antonio has a different culture than ultra-leftist Austin. Criminality like what was seen in Austin on Monday night is certain to provoke a public backlash and widespread endorsement of whatever counter-action Abbott’s soldiers and Texas DPS  use to bring the hammer down: 

Rioters in Austin, Texas steal chairs, tables, and signs from businesses, and dump them in the streets (most likely to help deter police) along with rental scooters, cones, street signs, barricades….

But remember guys, we were told that these are just peaceful protests. pic.twitter.com/Jrkw3O4FTF

— Leftism (@LeftismForU) June 10, 2025