Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott has announced plans to construct a military base for the state's National Guard in the border town of Eagle Pass as part of efforts to keep illegal immigrants from crossing into the United States in that area, the Washington Examiner reported over the weekend.
A few months ago the Justice Department sued the Texas government, and the Border Patrol was ordered to take down barbed wire fences Texas had put up at the border. However, the Texas National Guard has continued to erect more.
In explaining his announcement of the new base — which will eventually house some 1,800 National Guardsmen, with the first phase of 300 beds available in April — Abbot said at a press conference that it "will increase the ability for a larger number of Texas Military Department soldiers in Eagle Pass to operate more effectively and efficiently."
Abbott continued that "before this effort here, they had been living in conditions that were atypical for military operations," explaining that troops are scattered around the area, living in tents, hotels and private residences, and some have to drive an hour to get to Eagle Pass, according to The Texas Tribune.
Abbott added that due to "the magnitude of what we're doing, because of the need to sustain and actually expand our efforts of what we're doing, it's essential that we build this base camp for the soldiers."
The news comes as Texas has spent more than $124 million in less than two years to bus illegal migrants out of the state to various sanctuary cities, the Washington Examiner reported.
More than 10 million migrants have reportedly crossed the border illegally since President Joe Biden entered the White House, the most ever recorded for any administration in the same time period.
Since starting Operation Lone Star almost three years ago, Abbott has deployed state troopers and the National Guard at various sections of the state’s 1,200-mile border with Mexico, The Texas Tribune reported.
An estimated 3,000 Texas soldiers are now at the border, where they have helped state troopers catch migrants, erect barriers on land and water; and most recently, block U.S. Border Patrol agents from entering a city park in Eagle Pass that the state enclosed with barbed wire.
Brian Freeman ✉
Brian Freeman, a Newsmax writer based in Israel, has more than three decades writing and editing about culture and politics for newspapers, online and television.
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