Texas Governor to Deploy 1,000 National Guard to Mexico Border

Texas senators are confirming that Governor Rick Perry is preparing to deploy 1,000 Texas National Guard troops to portions of the Texas-Mexico border.

According to State Senator Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, there is a pending announcement about Perry’s decision to deploy 1,000 soldiers to the border in response to the Central American immigration crisis.

A press conference is scheduled in Austin for 2 p.m. CT in order to make the announcement. 

The National Guard troops are being deployed for a number of reasons, including alleviating the overworked Texas Department of Public Safety State Troopers, according to Jennifer Saenz, a spokesperson for Sen. Hinojosa.

"The senator understands that Perry wants this troop build-up, but is not sure what kind of federal approval he needs for it. He just knows he wants to deploy 1,000 troops there," Saenz said.

The news of the troop deployment comes on the heels of the demands of a group of conservative, tea party, and grassroots activists, who met in Austin on July 18 to insist that Gov. Perry deploy the Texas National Guard.

The conservative group also demanded that the Texas Legislature be called into special session to handle the humanitarian crisis in south Texas, where more than 90,000 undocumented immigrant children are expected to cross borders in 2014.

Reports from a leaked memo attributed to a different state official indicate that troops will be deployed to the western areas of the Rio Grande Valley, as well as to ranch lands further north, according to the McAllen Monitor.

The leaked memo states: “This is not a militarization of the border. The DPS and the National Guard are working to keep any drug and human trafficking south of [U.S. Highway] 83 and with the goal of keeping any smuggling from entering major highways to transport East/West/and North.”

Estimates pinpoint the cost of the deployment of the National Guard at around $12 million per month. 

The nation has become divided in recent months over the immigration crisis at the border, which is expected to reach record-breaking numbers by the end of the 2014 fiscal year.

Overcrowded courts and holding facilities in Texas have become a source of contention with lawmakers, and the divide among Congress has caused a stalemate on immigration reform. President Obama has vowed to handle the crisis alone, as disagreements among conservatives and more liberal parties continue.