The Texas Military Department has sent 10 armored personnel carriers – without weapons mounted on them – to sit parked along the state’s border with Mexico as part of the governor’s effort to deter illegal activity in the region.
Gov. Greg Abbott first deployed National Guard troops to the border on a state-sponsored mission dubbed Operation Lone Star in March 2021. About 5,100 troops are now assigned to the border to stop criminal activity between the legal ports of entry. The service members have the authority to arrest and work closely with the state Department of Public Safety.
In May, troops also began using inflatable boats to conduct patrols on the Rio Grande, which helped the Guard reduce the size of its border force from its peak of roughly 10,000 troops, said Maj. Gen. Thomas Suelzer, commander of the Texas National Guard. Read more…
