Governor Greg Abbott ordered the Texas Military Department to expand migrant turnback operations along the Rio Grande. The order comes in response the President Joe Biden’s decision to end the Title 42 coronavirus protection protocol and the predicted surge of up to 18,000 migrants per day attempting to cross from Mexico.
During a press conference in Weslaco, Texas, on Wednesday, Governor Abbott ordered the Texas Military Department to expand migrant turnback operations previously announced. In an exclusive interview with the Texas governor in March, Abbott announced the program to begin turning migrants back who are attempting to illegally cross the border from Mexico into Texas.
“Now we have come up with a more effective strategy for preventing them from even getting into the country to begin with,” the governor announced. “There’s a new category called ‘turnbacks.’ We’re working on strategies that will turn back people that are trying to make it across.”
On Wednesday, the governor ordered the expansion of the program, calling for members of the Texas National Guard and Department of Public Safety to begin river blockades and other measures to prevent successful border crossings.
Abbott called for “deploying boat blockades, deploying razor wire at low water crossings and high traffic areas, (and) creating additional container blockades, to drive people away from low water crossings.”
Texas Military Department Adjutant General, Air Force Major General Thomas Suelzer said his soldiers and airmen would begin “employing boats with DPS and Texas Parks and Wildlife to form a blockade on the river to keep people from crossing into Texas.”
He added that engineering soldiers would be ready to rapidly “put out concertina wire and produce concertina holding areas for anybody who should decide to attempt to cross into Texas.” He said they will expand their ability to deploy non-lethal means blocking people from entering the state.”
“So, if you’re a caravan organizer and you think you’re going to overwhelm or overrun a port, we’ll be there waiting for you,” the general concluded.
Additionally, the governor ordered the Texas Military Department to begin mass migration response drills in preparation for the predicted surge of up to 500,000 migrants crossing the border during the first month following the cancellation of the Title 42 program by the Biden administration.
During Wednesday’s press conference, Gov. Abbott also announced plans to bus migrants released by federal officials in Texas to Washington, D.C., Breitbart reported.
“We are taking them to the United States Capitol where the Biden Administration will be able to more immediately address the needs of the people that they are allowing to come across our border,” the governor added. The governor signed the letter to TDEM Chief Nim Kid ordering the action.
“Texans have a backbone and the will to secure our border,” Abbott stated. “Two things that Joe Biden does not have.”
The governor added that the Biden Administration is already busing released migrants from the border region to San Antonio.
“I’ve got a better idea,” he explained. “Instead of busing these people to San Antonio, let’s continue the ride — all the way to Washington, D.C.”
Abbott also ordered the Texas Department of Public Safety to immediately begin additional safety inspections of vehicles entering Texas from Mexico. DPS Director, Colonel Steve McCraw said those inspections would begin at 4 p.m. on Wednesday — shortly after the close of the press conference.
The governor said he will have additional announcements for responses to Biden’s border crisis next week.
Bob Price serves as associate editor and senior news contributor for the Breitbart Texas-Border team. He is an original member of the Breitbart Texas team. Price is a regular panelist on Fox 26 Houston’s What’s Your Point? Sunday-morning talk show. Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX and Facebook.