Texas secessionist says shocking footage of migrants surging border 'moved the needle' for 'TEXIT' support

Footage of migrants surging across the southern border and trampling Texas National Guard members has "moved the needle" for residents in the Lone Star State to consider supporting the TEXIT movement, according to a leading advocate in the movement.

Daniel Miller, president of the Texas Nationalist Movement, told Fox News Digital that the border crisis is "the most public and visible sign" that the federal government is "incompetent." 

"Particularly at this point in time, the most public and visible sign is that not only is the federal government incompetent when it comes to the border and immigration, but they are actually doing everything they can to facilitate what is inarguably a collapse of our border with Mexico," Miller said.

TEXIT the movement calling for a secession of Texas from the United States, has slowly picked up steam amid the continued border crisis, Miller said.

BIDEN, TEXAS FEUD OVER ANTI-ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION LAW AS MGIRANTS RUSH BORDER

The leading Texas secessionist said President Biden's handling of immigration has "moved the needle" in favor of TEXIT.

"I think it has 100% moved the needle for those people squarely into the TEXIT or pro-TEXIT category and the reason is simple-- Texans are coming to grips with the realization that if we ever want a sane and sensible immigration policy and a secure border, then we are going to have to do it as a self-governing, independent nation just like 200 countries around the world." Miller said.

Miller said that skeptics of TEXIT should consider the context of the rights that a self-governing nation has, including its right to set its own immigration policy.

"One of those rights is that they have a right to secure their own border and to set their own immigration policy," he said. 

"And so you take that and use that as the context for what's happening here right now, and you realize that the greatest impediment to Texas securing its own border is the federal government," Miller said. "Every action that we take to concretely clamp down on criminal activity in our southern border is being stymied at every turn by the federal government."

Miller pointed to the multiple times Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Gov. Greg Abbott sued the Biden Administration's Department of Homeland Security as proof that the federal government has become an "impediment" to the defense of Texas' border.

"Our Attorney General Ken Paxton had to go to court to defend Texas' right to secure our own border," Miller said. "When our current governor, Greg Abbott, was attorney general he used to claim that he sued the federal government more than any attorney general in Texas history."

MIGRANT ENCOUNTERS AT SOUTHERN BORDER HIT NEW FEBRUARY RECORD HIGH

"What we have is this increasing interference from the federal government, but the federal government doesn't want to do their job," Miller said. "But when Texas tried to [secure their border] the federal government becomes an impediment."

"Our only recourse is to do what the 200 other self-governing, independent nations do around the world and reclaim our right to defend our border and set our immigration policy and address it in a way that makes sense to us."

WATCH:

Miller said that since he joined the Texas Nationalist Movement he has witnessed first hand the "invasion" at the border and an "out of control" federal government.

"Back in 1996 I realized the crisis at the border, federal debt and overreach on a small scale," he said. "Where now it has ballooned at a point that is just unfathomable to me."

MEXICO SLAMS TEXAS OVER IMMIGRATION LAW, WON'T ACCEPT REPATRIATIONS FROM STATE AFTER SCOTUS RULING

"What is happening on the southern border is, by any definition, an invasion, and it is all being facilitated by an out of touch, overbearing, out of control federal government," Miller said. "And while we have an opportunity to vote for some congressmen and the president will be on the ballot, at the end of the day, we don't get to vote on the 2.5 million unelected federal bureaucrats that are really driving this."

Miller said that in recent years, independent polling in Texas has shown that residents are warming up to the idea of a TEXIT.

"What we have seen is this growing realization among the people of Texas that at the end of the day, Texas would be far better off being governed from under 180,000 pages of federal laws, rules and regulations administered by those 2.5 million unelected bureaucrats."

"Success lies in understanding that the best people to govern Texas are obviously Texans."