Texas judges near the southern border with Mexico who signed invasion declarations this week and sheriffs from their respective counties responded to queries regarding the potential racism and violation of federal immigration law of their actions.

On Tuesday, Terrell County Judge Dale Curruthers and two other Texas county judges signed declarations of invasion and urged Gov. Greg Abbott to do the same at the southern border under Article 1 of the U.S. Constitution, as The Center Square reported.

Six county justices and one mayor have signed invasion declarations since then. We anticipate more to follow.

Invoking their commitment to uphold the Constitution, the judges and sheriffs stated that they must take such extraordinary measures to defend against imminent threats to the lives of their residents, an increase in overall crime, an increase in unsustainable costs to county governments, and a lack of resources, among other factors.

Antonio Guillen with Univision-San Antonio asked the judges at a news conference in Brackettville, Texas, “If the invaders were from Norway, Germany … would you be pushing that hard if they were from somewhere other than Latin America?”

Curruthers replied, “We are pushing it very hard. Terrell County has less than 1,000 people. We have had [people from] over 100 different countries go through Terrell County. That is of every shade of Melanin in your skin. We have experienced an invasion that is something of every language.

“And I say that – I am a multi-racial judge. I am standing here letting you know it is not of color. There are over 100 countries coming through. We are trying to protect the sovereignty of Texas. I am a constitutional judge and we are standing behind the constitution.”

A reporter from The New York Times asked the sheriffs if they would deport illegal immigrants from their counties. Last week, Sheriff Brad Coe of Kinney County transported four human traffickers to the port of entry so they could "return home."

“There was no formal deportation,” he said. “We put them in a truck and took them home.”

Although he has been transporting individuals to a Border Patrol station, Terrell County Sheriff Thad Cleveland stated that doing the same “may be something we entertain down the road."

Sheriff Randy Brown of Medina County stated that when Border Patrol agents "won't come to pick up illegal aliens" he has apprehended, he transports them in his jail van one hour south to the Border Patrol station in Cotulla.

“We do that often. Our MacDonald’s on 35 in Devine has become an exchange location where we take illegals, not immigrants – they are illegally here – write that down, and we exchange them with the Border Patrol. That’s where they come to pick them up.

“Those guys are overworked with boots on the ground and are doing what they can but their hands are tied by what they’re told they have to do. They want to make a difference. We want to make a difference. All of us took an oath. We take that oath serious.”

Three to four times per day, according to Brown, his deputies are involved in pursuits of human smugglers and unlawful activity.