Texas Gov. Abbott defends remarks about stopping short of 'shooting' migrants

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Friday defended his comment that the state is doing everything it can to stop people from crossing the border illegally, short of shooting them.

On Jan. 5, Abbott said on the radio show of right-wing conservative Dana Loesch that Texas is using every tool and strategy possible to stop people at the border.

“The only thing we are not doing is we’re not shooting people who come across the border, because, of course, the Biden administration would charge us with murder,” Abbott said.

At the tail end of Friday's news conference, which was on preparations for the upcoming inclement weather, Abbott said that in the interview with Loesch he was pointing out what would be illegal to do.

"I was asked to point out about where the line is drawn about what would be illegal and I pointed out something that is obviously illegal," he said, before quickly ending the news conference.

An audio clip of the comment was reported first by Heartland Signal, which posted it on X on Thursday.

Loesch had asked Abbott to explain the “hierarchy” of border control: “What can be done right up to the line, where maybe they would come and say, ‘Governor you are breaking the law?' … What is the maximum amount of pressure that you as governor can implement to protect the border?” she asked.

But critics said Abbott’s comment suggested he would sanction shooting people crossing the border if he could get away with it.

“The only thing stopping Greg Abbott from ordering law enforcement to shoot migrant women and children are murder charges,” Gilbert Hinojosa, Texas Democratic Party chairman, said in a news release and on X.

Mexico's Secretary of Foreign Relations office condemned Abbott's comments in a statement.

"Mexico expresses