In the face of a historic border crisis due to the intentional reduction of federal immigration law enforcement, legislation has finally been passed in Texas to help fill the gap and better secure America’s southern border. Gov. Greg Abbott signed the bill on Friday, Sept. 17—as the crisis at the border intensifies, with more than 10,000 migrants, mostly Haitian, crowded under a bridge near Del Rio.
With substantial bipartisan support, HB 9 allocates a hefty $1.8 billion to enable state agencies and border counties to increase deterrence, protection of private property and targeted prosecution of state crimes committed by unauthorized migrants.
The single largest chunk of the new funding, $750 million, is being dedicated to the construction of up to 730 miles of border wall, a security need previously identified and approved by both Democrats and Republicans in the United States Congress, including the current President, but abruptly and irresponsibly cancelled at the outset of his administration. This appropriation is on top of the $250 million in emergency Texas border wall funding already allocated by Governor Greg Abbott.
In her testimony before the legislators, Texas National Guard Adjutant General Tracy Norris explained that that over 100 landowners along the state’s unsecured international border with Mexico have asked for the wall to be built on their land.
Initially, temporary fencing will be built by 12 of the Guard’s engineer teams at a pace expected to exceed over one mile per day, up from the current few hundred feet per day being built by only one engineer team. Eventually, the temporary fencing will be replaced by a permanent barrier that is being designed and managed by the Texas Facilities Commission, in coordination with the Guard and the Texas Department of Public Safety.
During floor debate over the measure, Senator Eddie Lucio, a Brownsville Democrat, responded to objections by some fellow Democrats by saying that “I have talked to many of my constituents in Cameron and Hidalgo County…and I can tell you the vast majority of those people want border security and want the wall, believe it or not. And some of us come up here fighting against it, we’re actually speaking against what our constituents want.” Lucio was among the Democrat lawmakers who supported the measure, along with Senator Chuy Hinojosa of McAllen.
In addition to the wall funding, the measure allocates several hundreds of millions of dollars each to enable both the Texas National Guard and Texas Department of Public Safety to place additional boots on the ground. Up to 2500 Texas National Guardsmen will be deployed to the border region, and in addition to building border wall they have been deputized to execute criminal trespassing arrests of unauthorized migrants. Single males who are illegally crossing the border and trespassing are being targeted for these enforcement efforts.
The historic Texas border security effort is rounded out by $170 million in funding for three migrant intake centers, $100 million to reimburse border counties for related expenses and additional funds for court administration and the Border Prosecution Unit.
None of the legislators or state officials testifying in support of these actions are under any illusion that it is enough to fully compensate for the reduction of effort by the federal government in meeting its obligation to secure the border.
Many of the legislators on both sides of the aisle, in fact, made a point of lamenting the necessity the state faces of having to incur in such massive expenditures. Col. Steve McCraw, Director of the Texas Department of Public Safety, told legislators that prior to the crisis that erupted this year, he was hoping to see the state be in a position to reduce its border security expenditures.
However, the data is clear that both Texas and the nation are being inundated by a simultaneous spike in the trafficking of both people and illicit drugs across the border. The current leadership of the federal government shows no signs of being willing or able to fulfill its obligation. Thanks to the courageous and creative efforts of state lawmakers, Texas can and will work to fill the gap and take its border back.
If Americans don’t wake up,. Our country will be given over to the illegals, to communism and social government while our freedom are being taken away.
Obama & Biden have caused so much harm to our once great country. Stirred up racial divide, spent trillions of dollars lining their pockets and our enemies’ pockets, appointed very questionable people to key government positions…and the list goes on. Disgusting and appalling!
So glad Governor Abbot is proactive and doing something with the mess at the border created by Biden and his cronies.
Now just keep that idiot biden away from anything having to do with our border(s). He’s already screwed a whole bunch up. We don’t need our borders opened up to anyone and everyone!
IMHO
MAGA2024! TRUMP2024!
The affects of this situation are going to be felt across the Nation. Other red states (or fund raising efforts) should send money to Texas to help relieve their burden. Maybe a court settlement will force the Federal government to reimburse Texas.
Something must be done with the mess in Washington..
We need a President that loves America and “gets it” and, I fully support a second term for our President TRUMP
“SANCTUARY States/Cities/Counties/Towns are anti America and I’ve had a belly full of this cr_p ergo, WE THE PEOPLE must fill the gap created by past and current US President and DO Nothing Congress. The ENTIRE strategy of the the anti America party, etal is to expand voter base so they can rule our United States of America for the next 1,000 years; IT IS THAT SIMPLE AND WE THE PEOPLE WILL NOT FORFEIT LIBERTY!!! The politicians that proudly proclaimed they will “Fundamentally Change America”… My greatest fear is that they continue their campaign of sabotaging Ameica and we will have to repeat a part of American History but, if so, same will Dwarf the tragedies of the 1860s. MAY GOD PLEASE HELP US ALL REMEMBER PAST LESSONS LEST WE HAVE TO EXPERIENCE… Enough said and I apologize for, if any, redundancy re the above noted. My gratitude to Texas for the courage and commitment to take action when our Federal Government simply refuses enforcement of laws and, especially laws that have massive national security.
Texas should not have to defend the border, but at least Texas will make an effort. Every victory requires effort.
Biden should be charged, tried and executed for treason.
nearly 1,000,000 persons have crossed illegally into our Country since Biden took office. Committee, Congress, voting, building, funding yak-yak-yak
Wake up democrats and fix this problem.AMERICA is losing thanks to the three plus stooges.
Governor Abbott needs to activate the National Guard and shut the border down. We are being invaded and it has to stop.
good for them!! A shame and a crime the Feds aren’t also behind this. Craziness at a whole new level.
This Wyoming resident supports Governor Abbot and his policies regarding the overwhelming invasion of illegal immigrants into America. He is obviously on the top of my list as a leader who possesses common sense and who isn’t afraid to take action needed to protect his state and America’s sovereignty. Don’t back down, Governor. There is nothing wrong with doing the right thing.
Thank you governor Abbot!
The federal government has failed us in the most egregious way….. our President doesn’t give a damn about the American people!!!
How Wonderful!!! Get ur done. !!!
Better late than never. This should all have been for seen especially after the stolen election results. DHS is now a bad joke.
Hooray Texas. I’m proud of y’all. Keep up the fight and God bless you and all your efforts. Hope other border states join the effort.
I am one Texan who 100% supports what Governor Gregg Abbot and Texas are doing to stop the flood of illegal aliens.
This is all very well and good, but I think it’s just a matter of time before Obiden sends the DOJ after them.
As far as I’m concerned they should do whatever it takes to stop this INVASION!!!
God Bless Texas! ????????????????????????
God bless Texas!
FANTASTIC!!!
Kudos for making this happen!!!
May GOD BLESS this!!!
It’s the right thing to do!!!
This PA resident supports your choice!
Fantastic State. Proud of Texas! Wish I didn’t live in a un-American state like md.
God bless Texas!????????????????????????????????
With the State of Texas stepping up to secure the border, something Biden should be doing, I think all the other states should chip in to help pay for it.
Excellent news! Thank you and God Bless Texas!!!
I would like to help Texas out. Is there a way that I can donate to help build that fence? It would help us all
Thank God for Texas!!!!!!!
Remember the Alamo! All Haitians should be resettled in Delaware!
They better fill the gap, Texas should take all steps necessary to end this mass migration now. God bless them, not the federal government. Hope DC gets struck by lightning!
Go Texas!
I applaud the State of Texas for standing their ground. It’s disgusting a state has to do the work of the federal government but they have to protect their people. What a useless administration we have.
Glad that the states are assuming responsibility to help build a wall, and block the foreign invasion. It is obvious, that the Biden Administration hasn’t taken any leadership in this. States need to do it for their own survival.
We the people need to stand behind and support the Governors willing to stop this BS..
Why not send the National Guard with their tanks to help patrol the Tx border!
Obviously The Democrats / Liberal Thugs… really aren’t concerned. The only way that this can be addressed and possibly solved is the wall. It was the best choice in the beginning and it has to be put up wherever it is needed across the Southern border all the way to the Pacific. Even if Texas and New Mexico and Arizona have to foot the cost of the Project. One of the greatest concerns must be the movement of foreigners from hostile Countries who are in place to infiltrate America and do harm as they have in the past. My position is, !!! whatever it takes. Do it, and do it NOW!
I have tried writing or contacting peters and stabenow from Michigan, both are USELESS lemmings following their failed parties descent into obscurity!
democrats are pathetic,weak politics first losers!
Thankfully we have a State,Governor and Legislature doing their jobs keep America’s southern border safe from illegal and criminal activity!!
The democrat clown show,with the communist progressive morons leading the way don’t have a clue!!!
Good for Abbott, but too little, too late. The governors of border states should have already had the national guard on the border months ago when it was apparent that the Biden administration was not going to do a damn thing about securing the border. Wake up & realize that this current administration is not on the side of the American citizens & will do everything in their power to retain power. Illegal & the constitution means nothing to them.
The State of Texas shares a Southern border with Mexico and its state population is generally quite accustomed to sharing border crossing with most legal Mexican citizens, especially those that have family and personal ties with citizens on the Texas side of the border. However, Mexico is still not adequately cooperative in keeping non-Mexican citizens from crossing the border. And I think it is time for Mexico to start cooperating more (and it is easier for them to do) in keeping non-Mexican citizens from gathering at the southern Texas border and forcing controversy. Its time for the US government to sit down with Mexican government officials and determine how to STOP this “looking the ohter way” incursion into the US across the common border. I will not waste the time to point out all the reasons that illegal crossings at the border are a danger and a threat to the USA, but they do indeed pose as a realistic threat which needs to be resolved by the US government hopefully with the true cooperation with the Mexican government. It’s long past time for this problem to be FIXED!
God Bless Gov. Abbott!!!! Everyone should write their Senators and Representatives and DEMAND that Biden resign immediately or they should begin IMPEACHMENT PROCEEDINGS!!! How bad must it get and how many oaths of office does Biden have to break before he is extricated from the Presidency???? BE ACTIVE PEOPLE!!! Write your Congressmen…..NOW…and demand action!!!
Control of Southern border is the responsibility of Fed Govt & should not fall on shoulders of any one state. And the National Guard is an emergency backup for this country & should not be used for any long term job such as border. Seems like very little pressure on Biden/Harris to fix this problem , plus they seem to ignore that a problem exists.
I have lived in Texas…all my life… the people that are sympathetic to this situation on the Border have never really struggled..and I mean…really struggle…Our government is harder on its citizens… than illegals…I know from my own experience…You have to know how to fraudulent our welfare system..so the illegals coming over here…will become our new welfare country…purposely…The people that are voted in office have let Americans down…put your fairh in God…not people…
Build that wall !!
What floats on the D.C. swamp, Democratic scum. And for those drinking swamp water remember that it can contain gator pee.
Some seem to be drinking Rio water with alien pee.
Killer Joe has just announced another free billion covid shots for the world to administer. Can you imagine the kick back he and his cronies are getting from the drug companies.
Put the National Guard troops on the border already! If our troops can secure the Korean, Syrian, Iraqi and Afghanistan borders, how come they can’t be used to secure our own!?!?
I have the perfect solution to this problem when those extra 2500 NG troops get to the border have them armed to the teeth, make an announcement in every language necessary so that they all can understand that they have 2 hours to pack up and get their asses back across the Rio Grande and at the end of that 2 hours open fire above their heads and announce they have 30 minutes to get across or will be fired upon. I grantee they will get back into M and become their problem.exico