Posted on 07/20/2014 9:06:01 PM PDT by bd476
Gov. Rick Perry to deploy 1,000 National Guard troops to RGV
Texas Gov. Rick Perry plans to announce he will activate the Texas National Guard at a news conference Monday in Austin, said state Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, D-McAllen.
Hinojosa did not have details of the effort, but an internal memo from another state official’s office said the governor planned to call about 1,000 Texas National Guard troops to the Rio Grande Valley — at a cost of about $12 million per month.
The memo was provided to The Monitor on the condition of anonymity because the information is not yet public.
Troops are expected to enter the area gradually, building up to 1,000 after about a month, the memo said.
The troops will join the Texas Department of Public Safety in its recent surge to combat human smuggling and drug trafficking amid the influx of mostly Central Americans illegally crossing the Rio Grande. Perry, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, and Texas House Speaker Joe Straus announced the $1.3 million per week effort last month.
State leaders approved funding for extra DPS troopers to fill in gaps in Border Patrol coverage in the Valley as the federal authorities were overwhelmed with an influx of children and families from Central America. The state officials feared Mexican drug cartels might exploit the situation to move their own drugs and human contraband while Border Patrol attention was turned elsewhere.
Hinojosa said Perry's move smacked of political gamesmanship.
“All these politicians coming down to border, they don't care about solving the problem, they just want to make a political point,” he said.
State officials denied the move amounted to a militarization of the border.
“This is not a militarization of the border,” the memo states. “The DPS and the National Guard are working to keep any drug and human trafficking south of (U.S. Highway) 83 and with the goal of keeping any smuggling from entering major highways to transport East/West/and North.”
DPS officials want to send National Guard troops into western areas of the Valley and the ranch lands further north, according to the memo.
“Smuggling has supposedly according to DPS moved West on the border with an increase in Jim Hogg County," the memo states. "DPS especially wants to apply the Guard in the rural areas to patrol.”
The National Guard deployment — added to the DPS surge — will bring the price tag of troopers on the border to about $5 million per week, the memo said. And the funding source for the effort remains unclear.
“It is not clear where the money will come from in the budget,” the memo states, adding that Perry's office has said the money will come from “non critical” areas, such as health care or transportation.
Hinojosa said the National Guard was not equipped to aid immigrants crossing the Rio Grande.
“They (cartels) are taking advantage of the situation,” he said. “But our local law enforcement from the sheriff’s offices of the different counties to the different police departments are taking care of the situation. This is a civil matter, not a military matter. What we need is more resources to hire more deputies, hire more Border Patrol.
“These are young people, just families coming across. They're not armed. They're not carrying weapons.”
Well he has a better chance of being deported than the street urchins that are coming in with no family in the US and who I suspect will be taken into MS 13 gangs here.
After all... they are innocent lambs./s
I think a lot of the people don’t realize that this is a multifacet problem/operation.
Drugs and the associated actions are a different ballgame than the illegals crossing
and surrendering to the authorities.
The current policy of sending the illegals into the interior of the US isn’t
the solution, imo. They have to be turned around immediately and sent
packing back across the Rio Grande.
Fencing isn’t the end all solution. However proper barriers help force the
action to be more concentrated in certain areas thus making it somewhat easier to
control. Money and lots of it will be needed no matter the approaches selected.
lambs
lol
Indeed, on all counts.
if it leaves the illegals here, its worthless
don’t get me wrong..im very glad he called up the TNG!
This is such encouraging news that I want Perry in the 2016 White House even if I have to write him in on the ballot.
if it took him this long to make what seems like a NO BRAINER DECISION to call up the guard, im not so sure i want him over seeing the entire country..just a thought
Mike
As I understand the intent, the National Guard will primarily be partrolling with Texas DPS in rural areas where the cartel, gang, and terrorist action is.
In previous border security operations, they have been fired upon, returned fire, and driven the invaders back across the Rio Grande.
I am all for defense, but lets not pretend that it will result in more deportations of people turned over to ICE.
If you’re wading across the border and you see armed uniform guards, you will walk up to them (entering the US) and surrender, knowing you will not be deported.
Nancy just said “No” to drug use, but she also said “No” to conservatives.
Ultimately, I doubt the deployment will in HRC’s words “make any difference”.
Too much show in government and not enough go.
Am glad action is finally being taken in the form of a first step. I also agree with Triple. The Southern Border should be militarized.
Interesting article - RE the NG in Louisiana during Katrina versus going to the border:
“...In an age where no Governor or President has the courage to deploy the National Guard under arming orders to the Southern Border, it’s important to understand how the confiscation of guns occurred in Louisiana. If the National Guard was actually under arming orders, it marks a significant point in American history. No National Guard unit has ever deployed to the Southern border to stop the flood of illegal immigrants, but they will go armed against their own countrymen in order to confiscate personal property....”
I GET YOU..After all I was born and raised in this great state of TEXAS..i have been many places in this world but none compare to my home state..
26 Year Veteran Within Border Patrol (NOW THIS IS SCARY)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ZnkSXosZhic
Thanks.
“-—none compare-—” Hot, dusty, humid to the max. You’re right.
That is terrifying! I am going to transcribe it right now.
Max, you made a statement regarding the Constitution that I asked for some indication of where you got your opinion from. You reffered to Article 4, S4, C2, neither of which remotely backed your statement.
My last post was pointing out that you had more simply relied upon your personal opinions rather than any basis on the Constitution.
Your statement still sounds quite a bit over-stated, especially to the “Federal” position of a Governor. I would still like to know if that is indeed so stated within the Constitution.
http://news.yahoo.com/lawmaker-texas-send-1-000-guardsmen-border-144812578.html
Ok, give them arresting power??? Might work out ok...I see some legal problems with that, but hey...We’ll have to see the numbers after the fact...
BTW, if the troops start taking fire from across the river, will they have on the scene ROE to return fire??? Much less pursuit, you know, CBA (Cross Border Authority)??? That can only come from the resident in chief...
I’m not holding my breath...
I’m seeing a lot of water and space blankets being handed out in the near future...And its going to cost us (Texas, not the Feds) $12 million a month, for that service, when all the transportation of these illegals across the country for PROCESSING is closing in on $100 million already...
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