Texas Governor Greg Abbott has deployed more than 7,000 state security personnel across Texas ahead of the planned nationwide "No Kings" protests targeting President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown and broader executive authority. The mobilization, announced Thursday, includes 5,000 Texas National Guard soldiers and over 2,000 Department of Public Safety troopers.
The unprecedented deployment is intended to bolster local law enforcement in major cities including Austin, Dallas, San Antonio, and Houston, where demonstrations are expected Saturday. The protests, organized under the banner of the 50501 Movement, have been described by organizers as the largest planned single-day mobilization since Trump's return to office. The group's slogan stands for "50 states, 50 protests, one movement."
"Anyone engaging in acts of violence or damaging property will be arrested and held accountable to the full extent of the law," Abbott stated. "Don't mess with Texas - and don't mess with Texas law enforcement."
In recent days, demonstrations in Austin and Dallas led to brief confrontations with law enforcement, including the use of chemical dispersants. At least a dozen arrests were reported. A Wednesday night protest in downtown San Antonio near the Alamo drew hundreds of demonstrators and a visible security presence but remained peaceful.
The "No Kings" Day of Defiance was launched in opposition to what organizers call the "militarization of democracy" and "billionaire-first politics" under Trump and his former government efficiency chief Elon Musk. A press release from No Kings describes the protests as rejecting authoritarianism and mass surveillance.
Texas mayors in San Antonio and Austin said they were not consulted prior to Abbott's troop deployment. Nevertheless, the governor, a Republican, defended the move as essential to ensuring order and preventing the type of unrest seen in recent protests in Los Angeles.
"As it concerns our tactics and things like that, we don't disclose those publicly," Abbott said. "That includes the Texas Department of Public Safety Officers as well as the Texas National Guard, in strategic locations, where they can provide the most robust response needed."
The deployment underscores Abbott's longstanding strategy of leveraging state military forces to enforce policy. Since 2021, Operation Lone Star has placed thousands of Texas Guard troops at the U.S.-Mexico border to deter unauthorized crossings. In February, a Trump administration agreement granted Texas soldiers authority to arrest and detain migrants crossing illegally.
Texas has also invested in a permanent border installation to house up to 1,800 soldiers. The 80-acre base is designed to sustain long-term troop presence along the southern border as the state intensifies its immigration enforcement posture under federal-state cooperation.
