A narrative that a “civil war” or “cold war” between federal law enforcement officers and their state and local counterparts at the southern border in Texas – which has been circulating among a range of pundits – isn’t valid, Gov. Greg Abbott, Texas Department of Public Safety and the Border Patrol union argue.
The claim refers to a potential conflict between federal Border Patrol agents and Texas National Guard soldiers serving at the southern border. The Biden administration has ordered Border Patrol agents to tear down border barriers erected by Texas and release illegal foreign nationals into the U.S. Abbott has ordered Texas National Guard soldiers to block illegal entry by building even more barriers.
The narrative suggests that because of policy differences, a violent conflict would erupt between federal agents and state and local law enforcement officers.
The narrative appears to have begun with a Center for Immigration Studies fellow, who claimed last year that “the migrant crisis is sparking an American civil war” and a “Cold Border War breaks out between Abbott’s Texas and Biden’s White House,” referring to the 44-year Cold War between the former USSR and United States.
Since then, “social media influencers,” some of whom may be paid to promote content, have made similar claims: "Joe Biden is about to start a Civil War over his treasonous handling of the border” and a “civil war is coming soon,” Newsweek reported about some of the claims.
