Governor Greg Abbott Thursday has ordered Texas National Guard soldiers and Department of Public Safety Troopers to be ready if needed for this weekend's planned ICE protests across the state.
The governor said peaceful protests are part of the fabric of the nation, but he won't stand for lawlessness, citing Los Angeles as an example of that.
The "No Kings" protests are scheduled for several Texas cities including Dallas, Arlington, Fort Worth, Frisco, McKinney and Flower Mound on Saturday.
Governor Abbott has now deployed over 2,000 DPS troopers, special agents and Texas Rangers. This is on top of more than 5,000 Texas National Guardsmen to assist local law enforcement.
The governor says anyone engaging in acts of violence or damaging property will be arrested and held accountable to the full extent of the law.