Texas, Jan 29, (V7N) — On Monday, Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced the deployment of 400 additional National Guard troops and more military equipment to the Rio Grande Valley. This move aims to help federal authorities manage and reduce unauthorized immigration at the U.S.-Mexico border.

Governor Abbott emphasized that the state's collaboration with the federal government, now under President Donald Trump, would be vital in securing the border. "Texas has a partner in the White House we can work with to secure the Texas-Mexico border," Abbott said in a statement.

The newly deployed troops will join the Texas Tactical Border Force, a group of military personnel that will work alongside U.S. Border Patrol agents. The force will assist in stopping illegal immigration and enforcing U.S. immigration laws.

This operation is part of the larger "Operation Lone Star," which Abbott launched to address border security after Trump left office in 2021. The operation has cost Texas taxpayers about $11 billion. Abbott’s recent deployment includes troops from Fort Worth and Houston and military assets such as C-130 transport planes and Chinook helicopters.

Meanwhile, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, appointed by Trump, confirmed that the Pentagon is taking steps to follow Trump's directives for swift border action. Hegseth called the situation an emergency and emphasized that securing U.S. borders is the responsibility of the Defense Department.

The White House recently announced the deployment of 1,500 active-duty troops to the southern border to help carry out Trump’s plan for tougher immigration enforcement. This follows several executive actions signed by Trump to tighten border security, including a national emergency declaration.

Currently, about 2,500 National Guard and Army Reserve members are stationed at the border, assisting Customs and Border Protection with logistics and other non-enforcement duties. Active-duty troops are limited to support roles under current law unless the Insurrection Act is invoked.

In addition to military efforts, Texas is working on increasing its budget for border security. Proposed budget plans for 2025 include about $6.5 billion for state-led border security operations, a nearly 60% increase from previous years. Abbott has also asked the federal government to reimburse Texas for its border security expenses.

So far, Congress has not acted on Abbott’s request. However, U.S. Senator John Cornyn of Texas has pledged to fight for federal funds to reimburse the state, citing the lack of federal action under President Joe Biden’s administration.

In recent months, U.S. Customs and Border Protection reported a sharp decline in migrant encounters at the border, dropping to a four-year low in 2024 after reaching a record high in December 2023.

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