Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry and state legislative leaders have swiftly joined forces with Texas Governor Greg Abbott and a coalition of Republican governors in Eagle Pass. In a unified display, they have announced their commitment to provide funding and deploy troops to Texas.
During his time in Texas, Landry wasted no time in taking action. After his meeting with Abbott, he promptly reached out to legislative leaders to emphasize the urgency of funding the deployment of Louisiana National Guard troops to Texas. And his efforts paid off. On Thursday, Landry and the legislative leaders announced in a news conference that they were allocating $3 million to send 150 troops to Texas. These troops will be supporting Abbott’s border security mission, known as Operation Lone Star.
During the event, Abbott highlighted the effectiveness of the collective state border security initiatives in preventing unauthorized entry. He emphasized the success of these efforts and announced plans to extend their implementation to additional regions.
According to Abbott, “Half of the governors in the United States have united with Texas in our mission to prioritize border security. We are determined to protect our constitutional rights and defend against any imminent danger or invasion, which has been threatened due to Joe Biden’s refusal to enforce immigration laws in the United States.”
In a recent briefing with Governor Abbott, Landry revealed an alarming fact – a staggering 30,000 pounds of fentanyl had been seized at the Texas border. The magnitude of this seizure is enough to potentially cause the loss of countless lives, making it an urgent and critical situation.
According to Landry, President Joe Biden’s policies of open borders have led to a fentanyl crisis that claims the lives of 125,000 Americans annually.
Landry witnessed the presence of two bridges and two ports of entry in Eagle Pass. These strategic points allow individuals to lawfully cross from Mexico to Texas under the supervision of U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents.
According to Landry, the president’s actions can be seen as a subtle signal to those attempting to enter the country unlawfully. By implying that swimming across the Rio Grande is a viable option for gaining entry, he inadvertently encourages thousands of people to take this dangerous route. As a result, Texas bears the brunt of this influx, which in turn affects neighboring states like Louisiana.
According to Landry, Texas has always been a wonderful neighbor to us. He emphasized the importance of heeding their call and mentioned that all legislative leaders agreed on this matter.
“He stated that since the federal government and the president are failing to take action, and Congress is not implementing a comprehensive immigration plan that ensures the safety of the country while still allowing for the movement of people, the states have no choice but to step in.”
As a former active-duty National Guardsman, Landry believes that the money was wisely allocated and serves a crucial purpose in supporting Louisiana’s training and readiness efforts. He emphasizes the importance of addressing the crime committed by cartel-affiliated “gangs of undocumented people” in Louisiana cities. Additionally, Landry expresses concern about the rising number of deaths caused by fentanyl poisoning. He firmly believes that these crimes can be directly attributed to an unsecured border that allows the cartel to operate freely within the country.
Louisiana’s legislative leaders have come together and agreed to deploy troops to Texas. The Governor expressed his immense pride, stating, “This is one of the proudest days I could have ever imagined. It is truly remarkable to witness these brave men and women who are deeply committed to ensuring public safety and the security of not just Louisiana, but the entire nation.”
Brigadier General Michael Greer, the director of the Louisiana Military Department, has announced that troops from Louisiana will be providing support to the Texas National Guard in their efforts at the border. Currently, the troops are involved in expanding and constructing concertina wire and other types of border barriers. Additionally, they are also assisting in the construction of a border wall for Texas.
According to Greer, Louisiana troops will not be responsible for detaining any individuals who cross the border illegally. Instead, they will redirect them to local law enforcement, who will be responsible for making arrests or taking appropriate actions in accordance with Texas law.
Troops are set to be deployed in the coming month, with three rotations of 50 troops each, for 90-day deployments.
In a show of solidarity, 25 Republican governors have responded to Abbott’s request for assistance and have pledged their support by committing to dispatch National Guard troops to Texas. Currently, troops from 14 states are already serving in Texas, and several governors have indicated that they will be sending additional troops in the near future.
According to Texas border czar Mike Banks, the efforts in Texas to address illegal border crossings have been successful. He stated that Texas now accounts for 30% of the total number of illegal border crossings, while the remaining 70% occur in Arizona, California, and New Mexico. Banks attributed this disparity to the resistance and measures implemented by Texas to combat illegal immigration.
“As Texas gains control of an area,” Banks declared with determination, “we will not only maintain our hold but also strive to expand our presence. Our goal is to effectively curtail illegal entry into the state of Texas.”
