"I request an emergency declaration for the State of Texas as a result of the ongoing border crisis, which reached such magnitude and duration, that on May 31, 2021, I formally recognized the disaster and it continues to escalate as evidenced by the dire situation in Val Verde County," Abbott said in the letter.
Abbott said the surge of migrants that illegally crossed into the United States in Del Rio, Texas, increased from about 4,000 on Wednesday to more than 16,000 on Saturday. The influx poses life-threatening risks to residents in the region and is quickly overwhelming law enforcement resources, he said.