House Republicans Use SCOTUS Texas Ruling To Salivate Over ‘Civil War’

Nicole Lafond

January 24, 2024 at 8:46 AM·3 min read

Some House Republicans are using yesterday’s Supreme Court decision, which allowed federal officials to cut through the razor wire Texas had installed at the border, as a rallying cry, urging Texas Republicans to “stand their ground” and elevating talk of “civil war.”

In a tweet and in remarks to Fox News Digital, Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) called on Texas officials to “ignore” the ruling — a temporary victory for the Biden administration as it confronts Texas’ various attempts to seize control of policing the U.S. border with Mexico and block federal border patrol agents from doing their jobs. In a 5-4 decision, the High Court on Monday knocked down an appeals court injunction, which blocked Border Patrol from breaking through concertina wire that Texas had set up, fencing off agents from parts of the international border.

Roy called the decision “unconscionable” on Twitter, before sharing additional remarks with Fox News Digital.

This opinion is unconscionable and Texas should ignore it on behalf of the @BPUnion agents who will be put in a worse position by the opinion and the Biden administration’s policies. https://t.co/NrQEgEvoxN
— Chip Roy (@chiproytx) January 23, 2024

“They have a duty under the Constitution … and every other norm of leadership of any sovereign state, to protect your citizens, period, full stop. There is no exception to that,” Roy told Fox on Tuesday. “And if the Supreme Court wants to ignore that truth, which a slim majority did, Texas still had the duty, Texas leaders still have the duty, to defend their people.”

He then suggested he may use the decision to launch a new crusade that could end in government shutdown, calling on his Texas Republican colleagues in the House to oppose “any” funding for the Department of Homeland Security, throwing an additional hurdle in front of House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) as he endeavors to keep the government open without getting booted from his job.

I support Texas continuing to take all steps necessary to secure the border & force an end to the flow. All members of TX Congressional delegation should oppose to any funding to DHS or any other entity facilitating this brazen violation of the security & welfare of Texans. https://t.co/YwvcJht1vd
— Chip Roy (@chiproytx) January 22, 2024

Another House Republican echoed Roy’s remarks on Tuesday, characterizing federal agents’ attempts to secure the U.S. border as the Biden administration staging a “civil war.”

“My thoughts are that the feds are staging a civil war, and Texas should stand their ground,” he wrote on Twitter.