Texas Governor Greg Abbott said on Friday that the Lone Star State will construct a military facility along the Rio Grande near the border community of Eagle Pass. This announcement is just one more example of his determination to stop the flow of illegal immigrants into the United States.

“Forward Operating Base Eagle” will support Operation Lone Star by housing up to 1,800 Texas National Guard soldiers on an 80-acre site, with the potential to house 2,300. By mid-April, the camp will have 300 beds, and after that, Texas Maj. Gen. Thomas Suelzer indicated a further 300 beds will be added each month.

 

 

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“Before this effort here, they had been living in conditions that were atypical for military operations,” Abbott said at a press conference in Eagle Pass. “Because of the magnitude of what we’re doing, because of the need to sustain and actually expand our efforts of what we’re doing, it’s essential that we build this base camp for the soldiers.”  As it stands, soldiers are billeted in various locations around the region, including hotels, tents, and even private homes. Some have to deal with lengthy commutes. 

“Illegal crossings are down and, coincidentally, razor-wire barrier is up,” said Abbott. “We will continue to muster the efforts are needed to make sure that Texas does the job that the United States Congress has mandated. The United States Congress has mandated for barriers to be built on the border. Biden is not building those barriers.”

Eagle Pass, a flashpoint in the continuing conflict between Texas and the federal government over border security, including state authority to enforce immigration laws, has brought Eagle Pass into the national limelight in recent months. Texas took over a 47-acre park in the city earlier this year, which has served as a main entry point for illegal immigrants. Additionally, the Texans started preventing US Border Patrol personnel and boats from entering the land, which they had been using as a staging point for the processing of migrants.

The 700-seat dining facility, exercise equipment, a relaxation center, laundry facilities, vehicle maintenance bays, weapon storage rooms, and a helipad are all part of the new base, which is situated roughly 6 miles south of the park. Each soldier will have his own quarters.

 

 

The US Supreme Court decided in January that the federal government could move forward with dismantling the razor wire that Texas had erected at the Eagle Pass border. But a furious Governor Abbott added even more, not just criticizing the order and preventing federal authorities from accessing the razor wire.

 

On Friday, authorities announced plans to increase the number of obstacles north and south of Shelby Park, the recreational area that the state had taken over in January, increase the number of fan boats available for river patrol, and enhance drone and radar capabilities. Approximately 3,000 troops from Texas are stationed along the 1,200-mile Mexican border.

Texas passed a measure in December that gives state law enforcement the authority to detain foreign nationals who enter the country illegally. The Texas legislation, according to Biden’s Justice Department‘s swift lawsuit, infringes on federal border-management jurisdiction.

According to a new Gallup poll, the main reason Americans give President Biden a failing grade for his work performance is immigration. Just 41% of respondents to the January survey agreed with Biden, the lowest percentage of any incumbent at that point in his tenure.