In an effort to prevent more illegal border crossings, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp announced his plans to send more National Guard troops to Texas.
“To be clear, the crisis on the border is a national problem and it demands a national solution. But if the Biden administration continues to fail the American people, then we have no choice, no choice but to step in,” Kemp said during a Tuesday briefing.
For the state of Texas, where illegal border crossing and a rise in undocumented migrants have been the source of political tension, there has been a reduction in border arrests so far this year, as 60% of all unlawful border crossings have been taking place in Arizona and California.
There were 249,785 arrests on the Mexican border in December, an increase of 31% from 191,112 the month prior and eclipsing December 2022’s high of 222,018 by 13%.
Kemp’s announcement came the same week Governor Greg Abbott said the state is building a Forward Operating Base in the Del Rio sector to house Texas National Guard soldiers.
“Texas is expanding our border security capabilities by building a new Texas Military Department base camp to increase and improve border security operations in this area,” said Governor Abbott.
“This will increase the ability for a larger number of Texas Military Department soldiers in Eagle Pass to operate more effectively and efficiently. Before now, the Texas National Guard had been scattered across this entire region in cramped quarters, away from fellow soldiers, and sometimes traveling long distances to do their job. This base camp is going to dramatically improve conditions for our soldiers. Texas would not be able to respond to President Biden’s border crisis without the brave men and women of the Texas National Guard, and it is essential to build this base camp for them.”
The new base will house 1,800 troops in their “own individual rooms” and also boasts a surge capability of taking on 500 additional troops should the Texas Tactical Border Force be deployed to Eagle Pass.
Abbott has secured over $11 billion in funding for Texas’ border security efforts. In January, he announced Mike Banks as the first-ever Texas Border Czar to oversee border security. Banks already serves as Special Advisor on Border Matters to the Governor. Border Czar Banks will also advise the governor on border security situations and strategies, including the planning of operations ahead of migrant surges.
