Gov Abbott sends National Guard troops to make arrests at Texas border

"To respond to this disaster and secure the rule of law at our Southern border, more manpower is needed—in addition to the troopers from the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) and soldiers from the Texas National Guard I have already deployed there—and DPS needs help in arresting those who are violating state law," Abbott stated in a letter addressed to Major Gen. Tracy R. Norris of the Texas Military Department.

"By virtue of the power and authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the State of Texas, I hereby order that the Texas National Guard assist DPS in enforcing Texas law by arresting lawbreakers at the border," he continued.

Since March, the southern border has been in a crisis, with record numbers of people crossing over every month. June set a new record, with 188,829 people being encountered by Customs and Border Patrol. A large number of those being encountered by US Border Patrol are single adults, with 113,383 being encountered in June alone.

According to the Texas Tribune, some counties have had their already scarce resources stretched thin by these staggering numbers of people coming into the US, with the added presence of drug and human smugglers overwhelming small law enforcement agencies.

Abbott declared a state of emergency at the beginning of June in response to the border crisis, slamming President Joe Biden's seemingly relaxed border policies.

"President Biden's open-border policies have paved the way for dangerous gangs and cartels, human traffickers, and deadly drugs like fentanyl to pour into our communities," said Abbott in a June press release.

"Meanwhile, landowners along the border are seeing their property damaged and vandalized on a daily basis while the Biden Administration does nothing to protect them."

Abbott slammed the Biden administration's response in late June, following former President Donald Trump's visit to the border.

"We in Texas have been left to our own devices to fend for ourselves. It's like, we're some outpost somewhere along some territory that the federal government doesn't care about anymore. It's not like it was with President Trump. He cared about Texas, he stepped up for Texas. He built the wall in Texas," said Abbott.

Abbott has also made a $250 million down payment on the finishing of the border wall construction along Texas' southern border.