What to know about Texas’s militarization of the southern border

President Biden and former President Trump are scheduled to visit the U.S.-Mexico border on Thursday, and the visit comes amid a recent National Guard increase in Texas.

The simultaneous visits, in which Biden will visit Brownsville near the Gulf of Mexico and Trump will stop in Eagle Pass, about 300 miles north, will focus on immigration and border security amid record immigration levels. The purpose is

In fiscal year 2023, which ended in September, 2.5 million illegal immigrants were encountered attempting to cross the southern border, according to Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data. And in December alone, more than 302,000 illegal immigrants were encountered, a record high for the month.

The number of troops on the Texas border is also huge, with more than 5,000 members of the Texas National Guard stationed there, as well as hundreds of National Guard troops from other states with Republican governors. There are also 3,000 federally funded military personnel along the southwest border, with two camps operating separate operations on the ground.

Increasing tensions between state and federal authorities over who has the power to enforce immigration policy and how will dominate the already contentious 2024 election cycle. It is expected that

Trump, the Republican front-runner, has vowed to use military force against drug cartels, with or without Mexican government approval. He argues that the U.S. military can curb the flow of opioid drugs such as fentanyl into the country, which has killed tens of thousands of Americans.

Biden will pump billions more into the issue, overhauling the asylum system and ensuring that Congress improves border security through bipartisan legislation that would give the commander-in-chief new powers to deport immigrants. He argued that policy needs to be addressed. The White House is asking members of Congress to pass such a bill, which would be bundled with military aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan.

Ahead of the visit, several states have pledged to send Guard members to Texas. This is part of a broader effort by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) to deal with immigrants entering his jurisdiction, called Operation Lone Star.

There is also a separate operation overseen by the Biden administration, in which thousands of active-duty soldiers are assisting CBP.

Here’s what you need to know about the militarization of Texas’ southern border.

Which states sent troops?

Since 2021, 14 Republican-led states have sent National Guard troops to their southern border, including Arkansas, Iowa, Idaho, Florida, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Virginia. , West Virginia, and Wyoming.

In February alone, four Republican governors ordered the National Guard to be deployed to the Texas-Mexico border in support of Operation Lone Star, starting with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on February 1st. Ron DeSantis has sent up to 1,000 National Guard troops to Texas in response to the presidential election. He called this a “border violation.”

This was followed by a deployment of 50 Troopers and 76 Florida Highway Patrol troopers on Friday.

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R) also pledged to send the National Guard to Texas earlier this month, announcing that she would send 60 soldiers to the state border. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) said he would send more National Guard troops to join the 29 others already deployed to the state. Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb (R) announced on X that he would send “50 #Hoosier Guardsmen.”

The states’ contributions are in addition to the more than 5,000 Texas National Guard troops deployed to Texas as part of Operation Lone Star, which began in March 2021. Guardsmen stretch bands of bellows wire on the U.S. side of the Rio Grande, arrest immigrants on suspicion of trespassing, operate drones and manned observation posts to spot people attempting to cross the border, and arrest immigrants with CBP personnel. escort to the facility.

However, this effort has cost Texas taxpayers more than $4.5 billion and is embroiled in a number of controversies. Units assigned to this mission have broken intelligence surveillance rules, with incidents including mass shootings, mishandling of classified documents, and spying on immigrants online. Army Times-Texas Tribune Investigation found.

How many federal troops are there?

In addition to the National Guard at the border, U.S. Northern Command commands two federally funded missions in support of CBP. One of them is made up of 2,300 military personnel, including members of the Army National Guard, who assist CBP with tasks such as data entry, warehousing, and surveillance and analysis, according to the Pentagon.

An additional 500 active-duty soldiers are authorized to support CBP along the Southwest border through the end of March with assault support, including Guard-like logistics, support and administrative duties.

“Personnel numbers will fluctuate as units rotate personnel in and out of operations,” a defense spokesperson told The Hill.

Under the Posse Act of 1878, state and federal troops are not authorized to enforce U.S. immigration laws.

Conflicting operations:

Immigration enforcement is usually the responsibility of the federal government, but authorities in Texas have clashed with U.S. government actions, with Shelby Park in the border town of Eagle Pass at the center of the battle.

The Texas National Guard has set up lines of razor wire in the park, one of the busiest places for people trying to enter the United States illegally. Mr. Abbott argued that the wire was slowing the flow of immigrants into Eagle Pass.

But the U.S. government has argued that the wire is dangerous to Border Patrol agents and prevents them from doing their jobs, and the Supreme Court ruled in January that Border Patrol agents can cut or remove the fence.

However, the Texas National Guard appears to be ignoring the ruling and continues to occupy Shelby Park, drive back federal immigration authorities, and install sharp wires.

Mr. Abbott justified his decision to ignore the state Supreme Court’s ruling by arguing that fighting “invasion” of the state “supersedes” federal law.

He also pledged to continue taking further immigration action, and on February 16, he announced the construction of a more than 80-acre National Guard base camp in Eagle Pass near the Rio Grande that could house up to 1,800 soldiers. announced plans to do so.

Federal officials also challenged a floating barrier installed by the Texas National Guard on the Rio Grande near Eagle Pass in September.

Last summer, then-CBP Chief Operating Officer Blas Nuñez Neto said that Abbott and DeSantis were “taking actions that are being done purely for political reasons and do not include the coordination that we really need to see at the border.” ”.