Commander of the Texas Army National Guard, Tracy Norris, announced Friday they’re sending up to 250 guardsmen and women to the Texas-Mexico border, following President Donald Trump’s order.
The deployment began right away Friday evening with some guardsmen flying in helicopters to a border town. The Texas National Guard did not reveal their exact destination.
Brigadier General Norris said this is a federally-funded, but a state-ordered mission, which the government refers to as Title 32. That means the guard remains under the command and control of the Texas government.
Norris, who announced the deployment at the Armed Forces Reserve Center at the Austin airport, told KXAN they are coordinating with federal agencies, though, and said some reservists may be activated soon as well.
She said the notification may begin as early as this weekend. “This notification will allow guardsmen, soldiers and airmen to notify their families and employers in the preparation to report as early as next week.”
Back in 2014, Texas sent 1,000 guardsmen to the border. Norris said only 100 remain at the border. Their mission right now is to observe and report.
When asked if the additional troops will do something differently, she answered: “The requirements of the Department of Homeland Security and Customs and Border Control, other federal entities on the border, will dictate what the difference will be.”
In regards to soldiers being armed, Norris said, “Depending on the mission, a soldier will be armed, a soldier or airman will be armed for self-defense, but again, it’ll depend on the mission and what the requirements are through the Department of Homeland Security.”
The Associated Press reports that the president’s plan to deploy National Guard troops to the border has drawn resistance from some governors across the country.
Three of the border states with Republican governors have endorsed Trump’s plan and only two — Arizona and Texas — quickly announced deployments, the AP reported. Arizona is sending 150 of its Guard members to their border.
The Democratic governor of California has been silent on the issue.
The president said Thursday he wants to send 2,000 to 4,000 Guard members to the border to help federal officials fight illegal immigration and drug trafficking.
While some states that don’t border Mexico have said they would send Guard members if asked, like Nevada and Oregon, others, like North Dakota, have said they would send troops if asked.
(Information from KXAN.com)
