‘Side-by-side’: Texas deploys hundreds of troops, choppers to help Trump tackle border crisis
Texas Governor Greg Abbott made a significant announcement on Monday regarding his plans to address the issue of illegal immigration at the southern border. In a move to support the Trump administration’s efforts to crack down on illegal immigration, Abbott revealed that he would be deploying troops and helicopters to the Rio Grande Valley.
The deployment will consist of 400 additional soldiers from the Texas Tactical Border Force, along with C-130s and Chinook helicopters. This deployment is in addition to the Texas National Guard soldiers already stationed at the border as part of Operation Lone Star, which Abbott initiated in 2021 to tackle the escalating border crisis.
Abbott emphasized the importance of working with the federal government to secure the Texas-Mexico border, praising the Trump administration for its decisive leadership on the issue. He contrasted the previous administration’s approach to the border crisis with what he perceived as a lack of action from the Biden administration.
The move comes amidst a series of initiatives by the Trump administration to address illegal immigration and enhance border security. One such initiative involved the deployment of military troops to the border through an executive order on day one of Trump’s presidency. The troops, totaling approximately 1,500, were deployed to Texas and California to augment the existing 2,500 service members stationed there in response to the border crisis in 2023.
One notable incident that underscored the administration’s tough stance on illegal immigration occurred when a diplomatic dispute arose between the U.S. and Colombia over deportation flights. Colombian President Gustavo Petro initially refused to accept deportation flights but later relented after facing threats of tariffs and other measures from Trump.
In response to the diplomatic standoff, American officials sent two flights of Colombian illegal aliens as part of Trump’s deportation program. Despite Petro’s initial resistance, he ultimately agreed to accept all Colombian migrants returned from the U.S. without limitation or delay, following pressure from the Trump administration.
The developments at the southern border reflect the Trump administration’s commitment to addressing illegal immigration and securing the border. Abbott’s deployment of additional troops and resources underscores the collaborative efforts between the state of Texas and the federal government to tackle this pressing issue.
