Photo: Texas Governor's Office
Governor Greg Abbott has announced the deployment of the new Texas Tactical Border Force to the Texas-Mexico border to respond to the growing border crisis.
With President Biden ending Title 42 this Thursday, the Governor says he is enhancing Texas’ border security efforts with the tactical deployment of hundreds of Texas National Guard soldiers to join the thousands already deployed as part of Operation Lone Star and serve on the new border force for targeted responses as the nation braces for an expected spike in illegal immigration.
“With the ending of Title 42 on Thursday, President Biden is laying down the welcome mat to people across the entire world, but Texas is deploying our new Texas Tactical Border Force,” said Governor Abbott. “The Texas National Guard is loading Blackhawk helicopters and C-130s and deploying specially trained soldiers for the Texas Tactical Border Force, who will be deployed to hotspots all along the border to help intercept and repel large groups of migrants trying to enter Texas illegally. The Texas Tactical Border Force will bolster our Operation Lone Star efforts to secure the Texas border amid the chaos caused by President Biden’s elimination of Title 42.”
The Governor was joined at the press conference at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport by Texas Border Czar Mike Banks, Adjutant General of the Texas Military Department Major General Thomas Suelzer, and Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steve McCraw.
“I have traveled along the border and seen firsthand the impact President Biden’s border crisis is having on Texas communities,” said Border Czar Banks. “Governor Abbott is doing the job that President Biden and the federal government is refusing to do, and Texas will continue to work relentlessly to defend our border. Today’s deployment of the Texas Tactical Border Force will allow us to shift resources to needed locations effectively and efficiently. I will continue to work with Governor Abbott as we continue to protect Texas against this unprecedented influx of illegal immigration.”
“The Texas National Guard is executing a planned, multi-phased response in preparation for the end of Title 42,” said Major General Suelzer. “We have shifted troops to hotspots, added additional drone teams, and increased miles of barrier along the border. The dedication of these troops to the State of Texas is inspirational.”
“The Texas Department of Public Safety is increasing resources at the border, and we are deploying hundreds of troopers around the state, including enhanced tactical teams and field force operations teams, to hold the line,” said Director McCraw. “There are 29 places you can cross into the U.S. legally, and our job is to ensure we hold that line and keep those the only places these people can cross.”
The deployment of the new Texas Tactical Border Force represents the third phase of the Governor’s increased border security mission as President Biden ends Title 42. Following today’s press conference, two units of hundreds of trained service members departed for the border to El Paso and the Rio Grande Valley. The same operation is planned tomorrow, with two more elements of hundreds of soldiers deploying to the Rio Grande Valley.