VIDEOS: Texas Deploys More Troopers, National Guard to Border as 24K Migrants Cross in 2 Weeks

BROWNSVILLE, Texas — Texas Department of Public Safety officials confirmed the deployment of additional state troopers and National Guard resources to the Rio Grande. The response comes as more than 24,000 Venezuelan migrants crossed the border during the past two weeks.

Breitbart Texas observed a large number of DPS Highway Patrol vehicles and National Guard trucks deploying to the banks of the Rio Grande near Brownsville on Saturday. Governor Greg Abbott ordered the special response force to the border as nearly 2,000 Venezuelan migrants cross the border from Matamoros, Tamaulipas, each day.

DPS spokesman Lt. Chris Olivarez told Breitbart Texas on Saturday evening that the deployment of state troopers and members of the National Guard are being placed along the river to act as a deterrent to migrants attempting to cross between ports of entry.

A video provided to Breitbart Texas shows a large group of migrants preparing to cross the river that separates Mexico from Texas. The migrants are attempting to cross using a pool float which appears to be very unstable with the swiftly moving currents. Olivarez stated the float nearly tipped over several times as the migrants attempted to enter the water.

“We are mobilizing additional State Troopers and National Guard to Brownsville to deter illegal entries between the ports of entry,” Olivarez told Breitbart. He added the units will deploy razor-wire barriers to help prevent the crossings. “The goal is to redirect those who are crossing the Rio Grande to the port of entry,” he explained.

Thunderstorm activity over the weekend increased current flows in the area, Olivarez stated. Border Patrol Search, Trauma, and Rescue (BORSTAR) agents on standby for rescue operations told Olivarez the water in the middle of the Rio Grande is 14 to 20 feet deep in this part of the river.

DPS troopers yell across the river to the migrants advising them not to make the dangerous river crossing and to move instead to one of the regular ports of entry to make their asylum claim to enter the U.S.

Olivarez said they observed Mexican immigration agents attempting to discourage the crossings as well.  Eventually, this group of migrants pulled back and did not cross the Rio Grande.

Olivarez told Breitbart Texas that Rio Grande Valley agents working with DPS troopers and Texas Military Department soldiers took 20,865 migrants into custody during a 12-day period ending on Friday, April 27. More than 2,000 more migrants crossed the river by Saturday night. Most of these Venezuelan migrants cross the Rio Grande from Mexico in the immediate vicinity of Brownsville, Texas.

The current surge of Venezuelan migrants appears to have no end in sight and is expected to increase in the coming weeks as Title 42 comes to an end on May 11.

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.

Randy Clark is a 32-year veteran of the United States Border Patrol.  Prior to his retirement, he served as the Division Chief for Law Enforcement Operations, directing operations for nine Border Patrol Stations within the Del Rio, Texas, Sector. Follow him on Twitter @RandyClarkBBTX.