Gov. Greg Abbott declares formal invasion underway at Texas-Mexico border

Brandon Bell/Getty Images Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has invoked the Invasion Clauses of the U.S. and Texas Constitutions to formally declare illegal immigration at the state's Mexico border an invasion. In a letter sent out Monday, Abbott notified county judges along the Texas-Mexico border that he will "fully authorize Texas to take unprecedented measures to defend our state against an invasion." The recently reelected governor also shared portions of the letter on Twitter Tuesday morning. In the letter, Abbott outlined steps that will be taken by the state under his constitutional authority to "keep the state and country safe," which include deploying the National Guard and Texas Department of Public Safety to arrest and turn away immigrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border, building a border wall along counties on the border, deploying gun boats to secure the border, entering agreements with other U.S.

states and foreign powers to enhance border security, and providing resources for border counties to increase their efforts to respond to the border "invasion."