A small majority of Texans oppose the deployment of the Texas National Guard for law enforcement in cities out of state, according to a recent statewide survey.
President Donald Trump has called upon the National Guard, a military force, to act as law enforcement and to protect federal property and personnel in cities across the country, including Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles. Earlier this month, Gov. Greg Abbott authorized Trump to deploy several hundred Texas-based National Guard members to Illinois.
A federal judge ruled on Oct. 11 that the deployment can stay in Illinois, but cannot be activated until the legal battle over the mobilization is resolved. The deployment of around 200 members of the Texas Guard has cost taxpayers almost $3.5 million so far, according to CBS News.
The survey, conducted by the Texas Politics Project at the University of Texas, Austin between Oct. 10 and Oct. 20, found that 43% of Texans “strongly oppose” the move and 8% “somewhat oppose” it. Forty-one percent of Texans supported the move.
Ten Texas Democratic members of Congress demanded the immediate withdrawal of the state’s troops earlier this month, arguing that the deployment was unlawful.
“Our Guard members are citizen-soldiers who serve in disasters, defend our state and serve overseas when required,” the lawmakers said in a letter to Abbott. “Turning them into a domestic police force in another state — especially over that state’s objections — erodes public trust and undermines the Guard’s core mission.”
Abbott said the troops were sent to “safeguard” U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers in Illinois, where clashes between ICE agents and locals protesting the agency’s increasingly aggressive methods of capturing unauthorized migrants have sometimes turned violent.
A plurality of Texans also said they opposed the use of the U.S. military for law enforcement efforts in American cities, with 49% opposing the move and 43% supporting it.
The poll, which surveyed 1,200 registered voters across Texas, found that Abbott’s approval numbers tumbled to his lowest yet over the course of his decade as governor. His approval rating, 39%, marked a 12 point drop from October last year. Abbott is up for reelection next year for a fourth term as governor.
Republican Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who is also seeking reelection, saw his approval rating fall 10 points from October 2024, coming in this month at 29%. Patrick drew backlash from some conservatives earlier this year for championing measures such as a state ban on consumable hemp products and an influx of funding for the state’s film incentives program.
And Trump’s approval numbers in Texas, too, slipped to 41% after steadily declining from 54% before his inauguration and 53% in February at the start of his second term.
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This article first appeared on The Texas Tribune.