HOUSTON, Texas–State Senator Dan Patrick (R-Houston) called on the current leadership of the Texas government to provide emergency funding to secure the Texas/Mexico border. Patrick, who recently won the Republican nomination for Lt. Governor, reiterated Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Director Steve McCraw’s estimate that securing the border will cost Texas approximately $1.3 million per week.
“I am calling on the Governor, Lt. Governor, and Speaker of the House to immediately allocate $1.3 million a week in emergency spending for the rest of the year for added border security through Texas law enforcement,” Patrick said in a June 17 press release.
“In January 2015 the legislature must take up border security as the first priority of the new session,” Patrick stated. “As Lt Governor, I will insist our budget funds border security at levels recommended by Texas Law enforcement on a 24/7/365 day basis.”
The Senator’s call for immediate action comes on the heels of the revelations by Breitbart Texas that thousands of unaccompanied children are swarming into Texas and being warehoused by the federal government under inhumane conditions. “Over the past few weeks the lack of security along our Texas Border has been exposed for all to see,” he said. “Thousands of unaccompanied children and teens, along with adults, are swarming into Texas. Currently, the federal Immigration Statistics Office has increased the estimated number of unaccompanied children projected for this year up from 60,000 to 90,000.”
Patrick has been criticized by some in the past for sounding the warning about illegal immigrants bringing diseases into the United States. However, Patrick quotes Border Patrol agent Chris Cabrera who also serves as vice-president of the National Border Patrol Council’s Local 3077 (Rio Grande Sector), as saying, “There are many concerns about the latest influx of illegal aliens, including the health impact to our state. Agents are worried about illegal immigrants coming over with contagious infections. We are starting to see chicken pox, MRSA staph infections, we are starting to see different viruses.”
Breitbart Texas has also reported the Border Patrol’s concerns about lice and scabies. On June 2nd, Kristin Tate revealed a television news report that stated, “We have had a break out of medical conditions such as lice, bed bugs, scabies, different types of illnesses that are occurring: strep, sore throats, coughs,” according to an anonymous source working inside the children’s facility.
Patrick also expressed concern about the stress this border crisis could put on the state’s ability to respond to a natural disaster like a hurricane where shelters might be required in large numbers. “If we have a major hurricane this summer requiring mass evacuations our own citizens,” Patrick stated, “they may not be able to get the help they need because of this latest crisis.”
“There are many theories about why the wave is hitting Texas now,” Patrick surmised. “Some say Obama Administration policies are to blame; others believe the current wave is orchestrated by the drug cartels. Nevertheless, we are overwhelmed by the current humanitarian crisis and our border is less secure than ever to the drug cartels, human traffickers, and potential terrorist activities.”
The Senator concluded his press release by stating, “We must do all we can to protect Texans until Washington meets its responsibility to secure our border and pass responsible legal immigration reform, which brings an end to illegal immigration.”
Bob Price is a staff writer and a member of the original Breitbart Texas team. Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX.