"Texas communities are bearing the burden of the Biden Administration's open border policies, and the State of Texas will not allow the inaction of the federal government to impede on the safety and security Texans deserve."
– Governor Greg Abbott
Texas Insider Report: AUSTIN, Texas – Governor Greg Abbott Monday toured Texas National Guard and Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) border security assets along the Texas-Mexico Border and held a briefing and press conference in Eagle Pass on Texas' response to President Biden's open border policies. The Governor was joined by DPS Director Steve McCraw, Texas Adjutant General Thomas Suelzer, State Representative Eddie Morales, Eagle Pass Mayor Rolando Salinas, and National Border Patrol Council Vice President Hector Garza.
During the press conference, Governor Abbott provided an update on Texas' border security strategies along the Rio Grande.
In effort to thwart cartel activity along the Texas-Mexico border, Abbott noted that the State of Texas continues surging resources — including razor wire — to border communities to build stronger, more efficient barriers to deter illegal crossings between ports of entry. He also discussed Texas’ continued efforts working collaboratively alongside law enforcement partners in Mexico and the governors of the Mexican States of Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo León, and Tamaulipas, who signed historic border security memorandums of understanding with Texas last month.
Governor Abbott also detailed the State of Texas' ongoing support for local border communities as they mitigate the mass influx of illegal immigrants, deadly drugs, and weapons across the Rio Grande, including continuing to bus migrants from Texas to Washington, D.C. As of today, the Governor announced that a total of 45 buses have left for Washington, D.C.
"Texas communities are bearing the burden of the Biden Administration's open border policies, and the State of Texas will not allow the inaction of the federal government to impede on the safety and security Texans deserve," said Governor Abbott.
"The Lone Star State will not waiver in our efforts to secure the border, and we will continue to do deploy all resources necessary to prevent the flow of deadly drugs like fentanyl, human smugglers, dangerous criminals, and other illegal contraband from coming into Texas.
"Operation Lone Star continues to fill in the gaps where the federal government has failed Texans, and I thank local law enforcement, the Texas Department of Public Safety, and the Texas National Guard for their continued collaboration in taking unprecedented measures to secure the border."
Governor Abbott has taken significant action to secure the border in the wake of the federal government’s inaction. Those actions include:
- Securing $4 billion in funding for Texas' border security efforts
- Launching Operation Lone Star and deploying thousands of National Guard soldiers and Texas Department of Public Safety troopers
- Arresting and jailing illegal migrants trespassing or committing other state crimes in Texas
- Allocating resources that include acquiring 1,700 unused steel panels to build the border wall in Texas
- Signing a law to make it easier to prosecute smugglers bringing people into Texas
- Signing 15 laws cracking down on human trafficking in Texas
- Signing a law enhancing penalties for the manufacturing and distribution of fentanyl
- Issuing a disaster declaration for the border crisis
- Issuing an executive order preventing non-governmental entities from transporting illegal immigrants
- Taking legal action to enforce the Remain in Mexico policy
- Taking aggressive action to secure the border as President Biden ends Title 42 expulsions, including busing migrants to Washington, D.C.
- Signing memoranda of understanding between the State of Texas and the States of Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo León, and Tamaulipas to enhance border security measures that will prevent illegal immigration from Mexico to Texas
- Activating the Joint Border Security Operations Center (JBSOC) and directing the Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas Military Department, and Texas Division of Emergency Management to coordinate Texas’ response to secure the border
