Gov. Abbott announces new border force as Title 42 end nears
AUSTIN, Texas - Gov. Greg Abbott announced a new border security measure that may again put Texas at odds with the federal government.
Abbott in Austin Monday morning said a new National Guard unit called the Texas Tactical Border Force is being deployed.
Specially trained guard members will be sent to what the governor calls hot spots where migrants trying to enter the United States illegally will be turned back.
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Abbott said Texas needs to take more action as the Biden administration prepares to lift the pandemic-era policy known as Title 42 on Thursday.
"The Texas Tactical Border Force, it bolsters Operation Lone Star to secure the Texas border amidst the chaos caused by Joe Biden eliminating Title 42," he said.
Border officials expect migrant arrivals to jump to at least 10,000 a day when Title 42 is lifted.
The federal government is responsible for immigration enforcement and the White House has said it will send 1,500 soldiers to help border patrol agents process those arrivals.
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The U.S. is preparing for the end of Title 42, a policy linked to the coronavirus pandemic that allowed it to quickly expel many migrants.
Abbot said that’s different from a previous deployment ordered by former President Donald Trump.
"President Trump sent soldiers to the border to secure the border. President Biden is sending 1,500 ‘soldiers’ to do paperwork. He’s not going to secure the border. We do not need 1,500 soldiers. We need 15,000 or 150,000 to secure the border," he said.
The Biden administration said its processing centers should be up and running in Latin America in a few weeks. They’re meant to reduce illegal border crossings.
This is not the first time Abbott has authorized state forces to apprehend migrants and return them to ports of entry along the southern border.