A great question; “I think” during the Bush years some guard units were operating along the border as support or backup to the border patrol. However, their rules of engagement were very limited and did not include the use of deadly force. As a Texan, I hope that Gov Perry will activate the Texas Guard and put them on the border with rules of engagement to shoot if threatened or disobeyed. However, keeping a large contingent of Guard units activated for an extended period of time is both impractical and expensive. The real solution is to put U.S. Army troops on the border. Reactivate the draft if necessary, would help with teen and twenty something unemployment and instill a little badly needed discipline and work ethic in this bunch.
There was a stepped-up Guard presence in New Mexico during the Governor’s tour of the border last week, but they’ve not been seen in the area since then.
Governor Brewer announced a few more were going to be deployed here in Arizona, but I haven’t heard which units, if any, were activated. It won’t be units, but a few augmentees here and there.
.....As a Texan, I hope that Gov Perry will activate the Texas Guard and put them on the border......
As a student of Texas history, I hope he will send the Texas Rangers to resume their historical role of killing bad Mexicans. There is a pool of potential Rangers. Members of the National Guard should be deputized as Rangers and tasked with killing Mexicans.
That process eliminates all the crap that will result from using the Guard that are quasi federal troops and the issue of posse comitus.
Ditto Arizona
Nope! That is a Dem idea, involuntary servitude.
Enlarge the military for this purpose, I could accept that.
Or establish a State militia that is volunteer and unpaid. That could also be done. Locals near the border might surprise you at their resourcefulness.
A couple of dozen Texas Rangers leading a local contingency could have an impact.