Greg Abbott rejects serving as Trump's running mate and says he wants to stay in Texas to stop 'invasion' of terrorists and migrants flooding across the border

Texas Governor Greg Abbott has flatly rejected serving as Donald Trump's running mate for 2024 in favor of remaining in his state to deal with the border crisis.

The governor warned the US is in 'imminent danger' due to an 'invasion' of 'known and unknown terrorists, who cross every single day'.

He said he could best aid Trump, 'by being a great governor of Texas'. 

The presidential hopeful had previously touted Abbott as a possibility for his vice president, saying he was 'absolutely' on his shortlist.

But Abbott bluntly squashed any suggestion of running in an interview with 60 Minutes, by saying 'no' when asked if he wanted to be on the Republican ticket with the former president. 

Abbott also defended using the word 'invasion' to describe the thousands of migrants flooding across the southern border and into Texas each day at a record-setting pace. 

Texas Governor Greg Abbott has rejected serving as Trump's running mate in favor of remaining in his state to deal with the border crisis 

 Trump said Abbott was 'absolutely' still on a shortlist for VP candidates following a visit with the governor to Eagle Pass

Abbott warned the US is in 'imminent danger' due to an 'invasion' of 'known and unknown terrorists'

The governor said the term was accurate, 'because of what the drug cartels so every single day. Because of the known and unknown terrorists who cross every single day.'

'There is no language that would spur violence. But I want to be clear about this, we don't want violence of any type,' he said.

Recent months have seen record numbers of migrants and asylum seekers enter the country.

By the end of September, experts predict the backlog of asylum seekers and other migrants in the U.S. will hit eight million. 

The figure is an 167 percent increase in five years, according to figures obtained by Axios. 

Abbott reiterated his belief Biden has lost control of the situation and suggested the only resolution come in November if a new president is elected.

'It ends very simply, that's with a president of the United States who will actually fulfill their oath of office to enforce the laws of the United States of America, that means denying illegal entry into the country,' he said. 

There were more than 300,000 encounters in the last month of 2023, U.S. Custom and Border Patrol sources told Fox News.

Recent months have seen record numbers of migrants and asylum seekers enter the country

By the end of September, experts predict the backlog of asylum seekers and other migrants in the US will hit eight million

Between December 1 and 31, more than 302,000 migrants were documented attempting to cross the U.S. southern border.

It was the highest total for a single month ever recorded in history and it marks the first time migrant encounters have reached over 300,000.

Since the beginning of FY2021, over 300 individuals on the terrorist watchlist crossed the Southwest border between ports of entry, according to  Chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee Mark Green.

He added there is 'no way to know how many more were among the 1.8 million known gotaways,' 

Immigration has become a flashpoint of the upcoming election, with both Biden and Trump conducting competing visits to the border on the same day.

A Gallup poll found that 28 percent of Americans now believe immigration is the biggest problem facing America, more than cite the economy or inflation.

The figure was a record high since Gallup began polling voters on their views about immigration in 1981.

On Thursday, Abbott used Trump's visit to Eagle Pass to slam Biden for  'endangering America by 'not doing his job' on the border.

Abbott said he could best aid Trump, 'by being a great governor of Texas'

Abbott reiterated his belief Biden has lost control of the situation and suggested the only resolution come in November if a new president is elected

Between Dec. 1 and December 31, more than 302,000 migrants were documented attempting to cross the U.S. southern border

He also guided Trump along the edge of the Rio Grande and showed him what Texas is doing to stop illegal immigrants crossing.

The Republican governor showed Trump how shipping containers topped with concertina wire are being used as barriers. He also took him to a spot where the body of a drowned migrant was brought ashore.

Abbott laid out plans to build an 80-acre base for the Texas National Guard.

He also vowed to continue his policy of sending illegal migrants to Democrat 'sanctuary' cities on buses.

It came as Biden visited the border city of Brownsville, Texas, about 324 miles from where Abbot appeared with Trump, but still in his state.

The visit was dismissed as a 'photo op' by the Border Patrol Union who dismissed it as 'all about politics'.

Following his trip to Eagle Pass, Trump stated Abbott is 'absolutely' among the potential candidates for VP.

Abbott previously laid out plans to build an 80-acre base for the Texas National Guard.

He also vowed to continue his policy of sending illegal migrants to Democrat 'sanctuary' cities on buses

Other names on the Republican presidential frontrunner's list of possible vice president's are Senator Tim Scott, Ben Carson, South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem and Rep. Elise Stefanik.

Vivek Ramaswamy, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Rep. Byron Donalds and Trump's former press secretary-turned Governor of Arkansas Sarah Huckabee Sanders are also still considered in the frame.

Immigration has entrenched itself into Biden's domestic and foreign policy - his push for more funds for the Ukraine and Israel was stymied by Republicans desire for more border funding.

Biden asked Congress for $61 billion in aid to Ukraine, but Republicans refused to approve the assistance without an agreement with Democrats to tighten security along the U.S.-Mexico border. 

His request also includes $14 billion for Israel as it fights Hamas and $14 billion for U.S. border security.

Biden and his Democrats have offered major concessions on border security to try and get a deal in place, including raising the standards for asylum-seekers and expanding the president's power to quickly remove migrants who cross the border.