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By The Center Square Staff, Just the News
Texas Army and Air National Guard Operation Lone Star troops are making preparations to prevent entry of illegal foreign nationals between ports of entry along the Texas-Mexico border ahead of the public health authority Title 42 ending May 11.
National Guard engineers are continuing to reinforce razor wire barriers along the Texas-Mexico border near El Paso. Additional soldiers have been mobilized to support construction efforts. The reinforced razor wire barriers “will create essential impediments to combat the unprecedented influx of illegal border crossings the end of Title 42 is expected to cause,” the governor’s office says.
“The Texas National Guard is a highly organized and efficient force,” Major Sean Storrud, Task Force West commander, said in a statement. “Although illegal immigration is absolutely a national problem that requires a national solution, the Texas National Guard is doing our part.”
In December, additional personnel and equipment were sent to El Paso to respond to the border crisis, including 200 additional staffers and 40 additional high mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicles (HMMWV) to expand operations in the area, according to the Texas Military Department. This is after 400 personnel were deployed responding to a state of emergency issued by the city’s mayor at the directive of Gov. Greg Abbott.
All sectors along the border increased “their response posture to protect Texas against the flood of migrants and cartel activity streaming into our state,” TMD said.
The end of Title 42 is expected to result in “a massive influx of illegal immigrants allowing criminals to further exploit gaps while federal authorities are inundated with migrant processing,” the Texas Military Department said. Since last December, a designated number of 136th Airlift Wing C-130J cargo aircraft, air crews, support, and response Airmen have been on alert, “prepared to provide any necessary capability at the Governor’s direction,” it said.
The Security Response Force from the 236th MP Company, trained in Civil Disturbance Operations and Mass Migration Response, can be rapidly deployed to border areas, TMD says.
Read the full article here: Texas makes preparations to secure Mexico border ahead of Title 42 ending | Just The News
