BREAKING: Texas governor declares state of emergency amid ongoing Biden border crisis

"President Biden's open-border policies have paved the way for dangerous gangs and cartels, human traffickers, and deadly drugs like fentanyl to pour into our communities," said Abbott via press release Tuesday. "Meanwhile, landowners along the border are seeing their property damaged and vandalized on a daily basis while the Biden Administration does nothing to protect them."

The Republican governor is authorizing the use of all necessary and available state as well local resources to protect landowners in certain counties from trespassers and the private property damage inflicted. Abbott has also directed the state's Department of Public Safety to enforce all federal and state criminal laws, including criminal trespassing, smuggling, and human trafficking.

"Texas continues to step up to confront the border crisis in the federal government’s absence, but more must be done," Abbott stated.

Abbott directed the state's Health and Human Services Commission to take all necessary steps to discontinue state licensure of any child care facility under contract with the federal government that shelters or detains unlawful immigrants.

The state leader directed the Texas Commission on Jail Standards and the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement to work with the state's counties to provide appropriate guidance and request any necessary waivers in order to give counties the flexibility needed to establish adequate alternative detention facilities or otherwise add or expand capacity. Abbott also directed these agencies to streamline procedures for licensing and transfers and to address any staffing issues that may arise in expanding capacity, according to the disaster declaration.