Texas Governor Greg Abbott ordered 1,000 National Guard Troops to the Mexican border Friday. The troops are tasked with supplemental staffing for new detention facilities being built by the Department of Homeland Security to free up Border Patrol agents.
“The crisis at our southern border is unlike anything we’ve witnessed before and has put an enormous strain on the existing resources we have in place,” Governor Abbott. “With the deployment of these troops, we are taking action to confront the crisis at the border and keep potentially dangerous criminals and illegal activity out of our communities. said in a press conference in the Texas Capitol. “By working together with our federal partners, we will continue to pursue a strong and comprehensive strategy to secure our border.”
During the announcement, Abbott was flanked by Lt. Governor Dan Patrick (R), Speaker of the House Dennis Bonnen (R-Angleton), and Adjutant General Major General Tracy Norris.
“The massive increase in illegal immigration — on pace to exceed a million people this year— has been an emergency for months and Texas must continue to do everything we can to help secure our border, including deploying these additional troops,” Lt. Governor Patrick stated. “Texas communities along the border and throughout the state are struggling to deal with this huge increase. Our health care system and schools are stretched to the breaking point and cost increases on everything from temporary shelter and policing to street cleaning have been astronomical. Governor Abbott, Speaker Bonnen and I are agreed that we must work with our federal partners and act now.” – READ MORE