Tipsheet

Texas National Guard Can Now Take This Critical Step to Confront the Border Crisis

The Texas National Guard being deployed to the U.S.-Mexico border is now able to arrest illegal immigrants on state trespassing charges as part of Operation Lone Star, which Gov. Greg Abbott (R) launched in March of this year.

Center for Immigration Studies reported around 3,000 National Guardsmen were given 40 hours of traditional police training in the use of deadly force and will be working with the Texas Department of Public Safety.

"Nobody’s ever really used the guard before in this capacity," Texas DPS Director Steven McCraw told CIS. "We’re going to use them to actually secure the border. The governor, the legislature, and the citizens of Texas have made it very clear; they want the border secure. It is good for our federal partner as well. The federal government should be thanking the state of Texas, and it’ll make the rest of the country safer as we increase the level of security."

The National Guardsmen will not be involved in the apprehension of family units and unaccompanied minors since they willingly turn themselves over to the Border Patrol because the Biden administration said Title 42 mostly does not apply to them anymore.

In addition to illegal immigrant apprehensions, Texas DPS will also be cracking down on American citizens who are caught smuggling illegal immigrants. As Townhall previously reported while in Arizona, American citizens who are caught smuggling people on the road are oftentimes let go without repercussions. As a result, it is not unusual for an offender to be caught multiple times.

Abbott has been vocal in highlighting the surge in National Guardsmen he has ordered to the southern border in recent days.