Castro, Casar Statement on Abbott Deploying National Guard to San Antonio
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) and Congressman Greg Casar (TX-35) released the following statement in response to Governor Greg Abbott deploying the national guard in San Antonio ahead of protests against Trump’s authoritarian agenda:
“San Antonio takes great pride in its history of peaceful demonstrations in support of civil rights, social justice, and economic equality.
“By deploying the National Guard, Governor Abbott is trying to intimidate our community for rallying against President Trump's authoritarian policies. And if he were serious about working with our local authorities, he would have alerted them before making this inflammatory decision. Our community will not be intimidated, and we encourage everyone to gather peacefully against President Trump's unlawful, undemocratic actions: ignoring court orders, weaponizing federal agencies against his perceived enemies, and tearing apart immigrant families.
“We are grateful that Mayor Nirenberg and Chief McManus are directing local law enforcement to protect the First Amendment rights and safety of everyone. By needlessly deploying the National Guard, Governor Abbott is escalating tensions rather than promoting safety and calm. Abbott’s reckless actions will make protesters and officers alike less safe.”