Republican Texas Governor Greg Abbott accused President Joe Biden of starting a "constitutional crisis" after being sued over his order directing state troopers to pull over vehicles suspected of containing undocumented migrants.

"The Biden Administration has created a constitutional crisis between the federal government and the State of Texas," Abbott said.

While issuing his order on Wednesday, Abbott said that the "dramatic rise in unlawful border crossings has also led to a dramatic rise in COVID-19 cases among unlawful migrants who have made their way into" Texas.

Attorney General Merrick Garland sent Abbott a letter on Thursday, arguing that that governor's order "violates federal law in numerous respects." Garland threatened to take legal action "to ensure that Texas does not interfere with the functions of the federal government" if Abbott did not withdraw the order.

Abbott replied in a letter on Friday, telling Garland that his order does not interfere with the federal government and warning that "the arguments in your letter" indicate "that the State of Texas and the federal government face a constitutional crisis.