Texas Gov. Abbott announces border camps for National Guard troops
Newsy
Texas' governor is doubling down on his immigration strategy along the Rio Grande, announcing the state will build housing for the National Guard.
Federal law says the U.S. government controls immigration, but recently the state of Texas has argued that the feds have failed in their mission — and that the state now has the right to defend itself.
Gov. Abbott has already spent billions temporarily deploying National Guard and state police along the Rio Grande in an effort called Operation Lone Star.
Housing soldiers is a major component of the governor's new plan.
"There will be a reduction of the costs that is being incurred already, in all these hotel rooms and other locations where the guard are staying is going to be more expensive per person than what it's going to cost to house the guard here," said Abbott.
Texas is home to some of the most aggressive policies to curb illegal border crossings — powers normally reserved for federal agents.
