Texas Border Business
Washington — Today, Congressman Henry Cuellar (TX-28), a member of the House Appropriations Committee and Subcommittee on Homeland Security and Defense, released the following statement in regards to National Guard duties on the southwest border:
“U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis signed a memorandum this past Saturday that approved U.S. Customs Border Protection’s (CBP) request for 12,000 flight hours or light helicopter support and the deployment of 1,343 ground support National Guard personnel for the southwest border. The memorandum clearly states that National Guard personnel will not conduct law enforcement activities on the border and will not be assigned any missions that require them to be armed.
“Currently in my state, we have a total of 687 Texas National Guard personnel, who are mobilized along the Texas southwest border providing surveillance, ground reconnaissance, intelligence analysis, maintenance, and training in support of CBP. These National Guardsmen are under the control of the Governor to support normal Southwest Border Homeland Security operations— not for building a wall.
“In the 2018 Omnibus Apportions Act, I helped secure $19 million in funding for the National Guard that was specifically to support border security efforts by performing some of the non-law enforcement duties currently being performed by our Border Patrol agents thereby putting badges back to the border.
“I will continue to support sensible policies that will utilize our National Guard, in a responsible capacity.”
For additional information, read the memorandum here.
