Good morning, 

This is the Texas Minute for Thursday, June 12, 2025.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan 

Abbott to Deploy Texas National Guard Amid Nationwide Protests

• As riots erupt in cities like Los Angeles and protests targeting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) are planned for this weekend, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is deploying the Texas National Guard across the state to deter potential violence and maintain order. Brandon Waltens has the story.
     
• Under both the Texas Constitution and federal law, governors have broad authority to activate their state’s National Guard in response to emergencies, including civil unrest. In his role as commander-in-chief of the Texas National Guard when not federalized, Abbott can deploy troops to assist law enforcement, protect property, and respond to public safety threats.
      
• Abbott’s approach stands in sharp contrast to that of California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who has opposed efforts by President Donald Trump to bring in federal troops or National Guard units to restore order in cities like Los Angeles. 
      
• The Austin protest is starting on the Texas Capitol grounds because of a sponsorship by State Rep. Gene Wu (D-Houston). He serves as chairman of the House Democratic Caucus.
      
• “Peaceful protests are part of the fabric of our nation, but Texas will not tolerate the lawlessness we have seen in Los Angeles. Anyone engaging in acts of violence or damaging property will be swiftly arrested and held accountable to the full extent of the law.” – Abbott Press Secretary Andrew Mahaleris 
       
• “If you set police cars on fire, throw Molotov cocktails at law enforcement, and loot businesses, you must be held accountable. We stand with law enforcement, we support President Trump’s action, and we will not let chaos take hold in our states.” – Attorney General Ken Paxton

City Officials Across Texas Promise Order

• With cities preparing for protests against the enforcement of federal immigration law, local officials in Texas are warning residents to remain peaceful. Sydnie Henry has that story.
      
• While describing protesters' "feelings of anger and frustration" as "more than justified," San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg called on them to be "peaceful" in a statement posted to social media. "The reports of the Governor deploying the National Guard to our community underscore the need for us to remain peaceful and safe this weekend."
      
• Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson told Texas Scorecard that he wants residents and visitors to know he sees "public safety as our top priority."
        
• While Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker did not respond to questions, Tarrant County Judge Tim O'Hare (R) said "the chaos, violence, rioting and lawlessness demonstrated in Los Angeles have no place in a civilized society and will not be tolerated in Tarrant County."
      
• Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said his office "stands ready to react swiftly and effectively to any actions that threaten public safety or property."

RELATED NEWS

• These arrests are part of a nationwide push under the Trump administration’s reinstated expedited removal policy, which allows ICE to swiftly deport individuals who have been in the U.S. for less than two years.

FBI Dallas Announces 109 Children Rescued, 244 Offenders Arrested in Exploitation Investigation

• A sweeping law enforcement initiative led by the FBI Dallas Field Office and the North Texas Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force has resulted in the rescue of 109 children and the arrest of 244 individuals involved in online exploitation.
     
• The operation, named Soteria Shield, was conducted throughout April 2025 and represents one of the largest coordinated crackdowns on digital child exploitation in Texas history. The operation brought together more than 70 law enforcement agencies from across the state.

Collin County Votes for Switch to Hand-Marked Ballots

• In a move applauded by election security advocates, Collin County's commissioners voted this week to use hand-marked ballots in the November 2025 election. Erin Anderson reports that the plan would eliminate the use of ballot marking devices except for voters with disabilities.
       

• Advocates for hand-marked ballots say they’re more secure than the machine-counted ballot systems in common use. Those machines tally votes using bar codes, which voters can’t visually verify. 
        

• The new Collin County system will print ballots on demand as voters check in at polling places using newly purchased printers. Voters will then hand-mark each selection on the ballot.

Field Develops for Harris County Judge

• Although they cannot file their candidacies for another five months, three contenders have announced campaigns to challenge incumbent Lina Hidalgo to be the next Harris County Judge. Joseph Trimmer explains who is getting in the race.
           
• Former Houston Mayor Annise Parker, who served as Houston’s mayor from 2010 to 2016, will challenge Hidalgo for the Democratic nomination. 
       
• Piney Point Mayor Aliza Dutt, businessman Warren Howell, and law enforcement advocate Oscar Gonzales will be seeking the GOP nomination.

State Commission Suspends East Texas Judge Without Pay After Indictment

• Following up on a story we covered last month, Travis Morgan reports that the State Commission on Judicial Conduct has suspended a Rains County justice of the peace who allegedly threatened a defendant.
       
• The commission's order notes that Robert Franklin has been charged and indicted with two counts of tampering with a witness and two counts of official oppression. Franklin will not be paid during the course of his suspension.
       
• It is up to the county judge to decide if a temporary justice of the peace should be appointed to fill the position or if other JPs in the county can handle the workload.

Quote-Unquote

"Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall! ...this wall will fall. For it cannot withstand faith; it cannot withstand truth. The wall cannot withstand freedom."

– Ronald Regan​
(Speaking at the Brandenburg Gate in West Berlin on June 12, 1987.)

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