Texas Gov. Abbott: Obama 'One of the Best Witnesses' in Appeals Court Case

President Barack Obama's own contradictory words and actions made him "one of our best witnesses" in an appeals court case that rejected his plan to protect millions of illegal immigrants from deportation, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said Tuesday.

In an interview on Fox News' "America's Newsroom," Abbott — the governor of one of 26 states challenging the plan in court — said the decision of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans on Monday made clear "the rule of law applies even to the president of the United States of America."

Abbott asserted that on 22 occasions, Obama "said he didn't have the authority" to take action to protect illegal immigrants from deportation, yet "then he turned around and did it."

"Turned out Barack Obama was one of our best witnesses during this case," Abbott said.

The federal court rejected the Department of Justice argument that Obama's executive order would allow prosecutors to concentrate on the removal of illegal immigrant criminals, and leave alone those who are in the country raising children, Abbott explained.

"The federal coast of appeals shot that down easily, saying the Department of Justice and Homeland Security still have the latitude to work on these issues case by case.

"But what they did say is that the president does not have the unilateral authority to grant amnesty to millions of people," he said, adding: "What this federal court of appeals said was the rule of law applies even to the president of the United States of America."

Abbott also decried the inclusion of a former police chief in San Francisco, Heather Fong, who supports the "sanctuary city" protection of illegal immigrants, on a list of those being considered to head the Border Patrol.

"If that person is chosen you will see a revolt in this country," he predicted. "We are not going to tolerate this perpetuation of violating the law and not enforcing the law."

"If the president's going to bring in someone who's going to abdicate the rule of law in this country, the American people are not going to tolerate it anymore," he added.

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