Houston, TX: Texas is constructing a new military base camp at the border to further impede illegal infiltration from Mexico.
Gov. Greg Abbott announced the news in Eagle Pass, Texas, with Adjutant General of the Texas National Guard Major General Thomas Suelzer and border czar Mike Banks.
The “Forward Operating Base” camp can accommodate 1,800 troops and has the capacity to increase to 2,300 if necessary. The soldiers will have new facilities during their trips at the border, since they have been dispersed over the region in tight quarters, isolated from their colleagues and guards, often having to travel significant distances to do their duties, according to Abbott.
The new camp will significantly enhance their living standards, which were unusual for military activities.
Due to the significant scale of the border security operations in Texas, a base camp is being constructed to enhance the soldiers’ quality of life and maintain high morale.
Texas is consolidating its military personnel in a crucial area to enhance soldiers’ agility and rapid response to unlawful activities. Soldiers will also be extending razor wire barricades, which have shown to be an effective method for preventing unauthorized entry. Our objective is to enhance the efficiency of the razor wire by extending it to further regions along this boundary.
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Soldiers had been residing in facilities located approximately 50 miles distant, requiring a one-hour trip each way. The governor stated that reducing their commuting time will allow them to utilize their time more efficiently and make better use of taxpayer resources. The base camp expenses are minimal. Once it is established, costs will decrease as the state will no longer need to cover army housing like motels.
Gov. Abbott restated that Texas’ opposition had decreased illegal border crossings, causing them to shift westward, as reported by The Center Square.
Abbott stated that illegal border crossings have decreased, while at the same time, a razor wire barrier has been installed. He stated that Texas is doing the task assigned by Congress to construct walls along the border. The president stated that he has not constructed them, but Texas has.
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Major General Suelzer stated that the base is being constructed on an 80-acre complex that stretches along the Rio Grande River and is located approximately six miles south of Shelby Park in Eagle Pass. Each soldier will have an own room of up to 1800 square feet. The camp will have the capacity to accommodate an extra 500 troops if the Texas tactical border force needs to be deployed in the area to support the troops.
The base will have a 700-seat eating facility, a weight and cardio center, a leisure center, computers with WiFi, a laundry facility, and spaces for medical, psychological, health, and chaplaincy services. The base will have three command posts, weapons storage rooms, vehicle maintenance bays, and an FAA-compliant helipad.
The Texas Military Department is growing as directed by the governor, according to Suelzer. They will soon begin a four-phase operation to expand north and south of Eagle Pass by erecting new obstacles to strengthen the border. He stated that they will be incorporating three fan boats and enhancing their drone program.
Border Czar Banks praised the National Guard’s accomplishments during his year of collaboration with them as “phenomenal.”
He stated that in the past month and a half, agents had apprehended more individuals daily than the total number being apprehended in the state of Texas.
Previously, Eagle Pass experienced a high volume of 3,000 to 5,000 unlawful border crossings per day, peaking at nearly 6,000. This number has significantly decreased to an average of three individuals per day when the Texas Military Department closed Shelby Park in December.
Banks reported a reduction in illicit border crossings to approximately 1% of the previous rate from a month and a half to two months ago. It demonstrates the soldiers’ and DPS’s accomplishments in fulfilling the governor’s objectives.
He stated that upcoming operations will build upon their effective initiatives in Eagle Pass, focusing on the strategy known as ‘gain, maintain, and grow.’ We have secured control of this region. We will maintain control as we increase efforts to achieve the same degree of decrease over the border in Texas.
As a retired Border Patrol agent with 23 years of experience, he stated that it is just unreasonable to think that they have to battle the federal government on a daily basis. He stated that the Biden administration should either fulfill the responsibilities demanded by Congress or step aside to allow Texas to take action, as Texas is committed to protecting itself.