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.”
My pleasure.
What are they going to do and how?
What are their orders?
Kind of hard to keep something like this action secret. Requires too much coordination, too many people and resources involved and Perry can’t commit to spending this much tax payer money without involvement of others.
JustAmy wrote: "Wish I could be there.
Give ‘em hell.
Take care of OUR vets and children first. Hope Perry stands his ground."
Amen, Amy, amen. You and me both - wish I could be there, too.
Our Vets, our children, always first, you're absolutely right!
Agree with you in hoping he stands his ground. As far as I'm concerned,
after this, he moves to the White House for 8 years beginning in 2016.
I do and I think it is because we gave them to much power for 30 years.
Hate to say this but Nancy Reagans BS war on drugs gave rise to the DEA and The DEA gave rise to the cartels.
These guys are viscous now.
LOOK WHAT IS GOING ON
This current invasion is the drug cartels pulling in 2 year old mules
Want the best dope in town?
Ask a DEA ahole or a cop
It’s human nature folks, power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
2ndDivisionVet wrote:
"Cartels suspected as high-caliber gunfire sends Border Patrol scrambling on Rio Grande
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3182615/posts
MEXICANS FIRE HIGH CALIBER WEAPONS AT U.S. BORDER PATROL-THIS IS WAR!
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/3182896/posts "
There ya, go 2ndDivisionVet!
Thanks for the links to some of the many, important answers as to WHY this needs to be done!
They will probably be assisting the feds
We are being invaded and America gave them the green light!
This will cost Texas 12 million a month...and I'm sure that Obama is just gleeful at that. Obama's trying to break Perry and Texas. The Dems don't want Perry as a candidate for 2016.
In other words, at this point, Texas got set up. They sure as hell can't stop Homeland Security for escorting this illegals.
They will not be armed.
Washington is giving these people the green light.
God Bless Rick Perry and the state of TX for stemming the flow.
Stay tuned.
Dunno if we got set up but aint nobody kissin us.
Prolly cause we keep our eyes open LOL
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Pres. Obama has been criticized for declining to send Nat’l Guard troops to patrol/guard the increasing mythical land border between U.S.A. Mexico. I thought Nat’l Guard was under control of state governors, who, at their discretion, could accede to a presidential request to place the troops under presidential control.
Pres. GW Bush could not take control of LA Nat’l Guard during the Katrina debacle until the feckless Governor signed the required release. Bush, of course, was faulted.
“This will cost Texas 12 million a month”
I’d say at least 3/4 of the state population would gladly help out and send one dollar to the fund each month. That would cover the costs.
The State of Texas needs to set up a donation box. Funding problem solved.
Do not forget that the Governor is a Federal elected agent.
That 3.7 billion that Obama wants has almost "0" for border security.
Call it what you want....3.7 billion is buying a lot of votes...for the Dems.
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