President Donald Trump is serious about immigration control – and his flurry of executive orders shows it. One such policy change grants the Texas National Guard authority to arrest those found crossing the border illegally.
Texas National Guard Authorized to Arrest Illegal Immigrants
Recently, Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Customs and Border Protection (CBP) that deputizes Texas National Guard personnel to make arrests, according to a copy of the agreement provided to the Daily Caller News Foundation. While this new authority will allow the state’s national guard to act basically like CBP, it may be performed “only under the supervision and direction” of an agency official, according to the agreement. Still, as the Daily Caller pointed out, “Texas National Guard soldiers may investigate and arrest foreign nationals for immigration violations in the same manner as a CBP official. Soldiers are also permitted to transport foreign nationals in a similar manner to a CBP official, which includes transportation for detention or for deportation.”
On Friday, February 7, Gov. Abbott published a press release detailing the success of Operation Lone Star, a multi-agency effort that started in March 2021 to combat the flood of illegal aliens crossing the border into his state. “Texas has decreased illegal crossings into the state by over 85% due to our historic border security mission,” the press release reads. Since the program’s launch, there have been more than 521,000 illegal immigrant apprehensions, over 50,600 criminal arrests, and more than 43,400 felony charges. “Texas law enforcement has seized over 624 million lethal doses of fentanyl – enough to kill every man, woman, and child in the United States, Mexico, and Canada combined during this border mission.”
“Texas National Guardsmen are working hand-in-hand with the Border Patrol to secure our nation,” said First Lieutenant Jesse Pieper. “This is a full team effort. My favorite part about Operation Lone Star is that sense of purpose. I get to feel like I am doing what I signed up for — protecting the State of Texas and serving the United States of America."
While many red states are on board with Trump’s immigration initiatives, most blue states are fighting tooth and nail against the administration. Some have vowed to not give an inch, saying they will continue to shelter migrants and refuse to work with federal agencies. Others have started initiatives to thwart the administration’s efforts, such as California Governor Gavin Newsom’s $25 million program to fund legal fights to protect illegal immigrants.
How long will the opposition be able to hold out, especially after newly-appointed US Attorney General Pam Bondi has determined that sanctuary jurisdictions will not receive federal funds?
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