Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announces military base at southern border

EAGLE PASS, Texas - Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced the construction of a base camp for nearly 2,000 soldiers on the border.

The camp will be in Eagle Pass, a sign of a more permanent Texas law enforcement presence.

What the state is calling a Forward Operating Base will have 1,800 troops, with the ability to surge to 2,300.

The first 300 beds should be ready by April.

This announcement by Gov. Abbott shows he is not reducing resources on the border any time soon. 

An 80-acre field in Eagle Pass, near the Rio Grande, will become a base camp for the Texas Military Department. 

A physical show of the planned longevity of Operation Lone Star. 

"It’s going to consolidate our forces, as opposed to being scattered around many different places across this region. They will be operating out of one place. It will amass a large army in a very strategic area," Gov. Abbott said.

Abbott made the announcement Friday.

"To expand our border security capabilities, we are building a new Texas Military Department basecamp," Abbott added.

Since the launch of Operation Lone Star in 2021, Gov. Abbott has expanded the use of state resources, including National Guard, for border security.

It had been a role typically handled by the federal government.

But the state efforts have ramped up in recent months, and believing it's successful, the governor said this base will help expand its strategy of using razor wire.

"Our goal is to make sure we expand the effectiveness of that razor wire to more areas along this border, having the soldiers located right here along the river, they are going to be able to more quickly construct that razor wire," he said.

Eagle Pass has been ground zero for the Operation Lone Star response. It’s also been used as a political backdrop in response to the surge in illegal migrant crossings.

Soldiers have been spread out during the operation, staying in border city hotels.

While Abbott did not give a price tag, the Texas Legislature has allocated more than $5 billion for border security operations.

"What’s being incurred already in all these hotel rooms and other locations where the Guard are staying, it’s going to be more expensive per person than what it is going to cost to house the Guard here," the governor said.

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Texas is in multiple legal fights with the federal government.

The highest profile case involves Shelby Park, next to the construction site for the base camp.

The Supreme Court ruled in favor of the White House in a dispute over Border Patrol access to the park after Gov. Abbott closed it to the public.

The governor said his plans are making a difference.

"This will organize substantial forces to expand the razor wire barriers that are going up. We have seen the effectiveness of the razor wire in Shelby Park, where crossings have gone from 3,000 to 5,000 a day to less than 1%," Abbott said.

What's not clear is if this is a long-term strategy.

Operation Lone Star has already cost the state billions.

Texas Congressman Roger Williams filed legislation late Thursday that would see the federal government reimburse the state for nearly $4 billion, though it's unclear how much support the legislation has.

Critics have raised concerns about the long-term use of the Guard, many of whom have civilian jobs too.

The governor believes the base will help.

"It’s for one going to improve morale, it’s going to provide both mental health and physical health care, so that where these soldiers are living, they are going to have access to the treatment and camaraderie they need in order to be an even more effective soldier," Abbot said.

The Texas Military Department expects the base to be operational this spring. 

"By mid-April, we will have a 300 bed capacity. We will add 300 beds, and basically the phasing is an additional 300 beds every 30 days," Texas Military Department General Thomas Suelzer said.

Last year, Texas lawmakers considered, but failed, to pass legislation that would have established a "border protection unit."

Some other Republican governors have sent their own Guard soldiers, but the commitments vary.

The Texas Trio broached the topic on Texas: The Issue Is.

[REPORTER: "What happens when all those National Guard units, all those troopers from other states leave? We've got to scale back right? Or we bring in our own people?"]

"Well, I think there are plenty of Texans across the state who would be more than happy to answer the call as the state troopers are hiring," St. Rep. Ellen Troxclair said.

It’s unclear how much this base will cost.