Louisiana National Guard Troops Headed to Texas to Help Secure Border

Baton Rouge, LA (KPEL News) - Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry is making good on his promise to Texas Governor Greg Abbott to deploy National Guard troops to his state to help secure the border between the U.S. and Mexico. The effort has been dubbed Operation Lone Star by Governor Abbott.

Governor Landry visited Eagle Pass, Texas, on Sunday, February 4, 2024, along with governors from a dozen other Republican governors to see first-hand the border control situation.

Texas is waging a legal and political war with the Biden Administration over enforcement of immigration laws as people pour into the country. Landry pledged that day to stand shoulder to shoulder with Abbott to mitigate, if not stop, the problem.

Landry announced the specifics of his plan during a press conference Thursday, surrounded by state officials who also support the deployment. Among them were House Speaker Phillip DeVillier of Eunice and the chairs of both finance committees.

Florida, Idaho, Iowa, Missouri, and Tennessee pledged to send troops to Texas as well, according to Governor Landry, because they believe President Biden has failed to do his job when it comes to border security:

What the president has done is basically dog-whistle to those who are trying to come into the country illegally and say, 'listen, if you just swim across the Rio Grande, we'll let you in that way.

 

Louisiana Senate President Cameron Henry says he supports funding the mission and estimates it will cost $3-million. The Legislature currently has a $400-million surplus of cash from the last budget cycle, and they can use the funds to cover the cost.

Director of the Louisiana Military Department Brig. Gen. Michael Greer told reporters that the deployment will involve three rotations of 50 soldiers each, for a total of 150 troops. They will not have authority to detain migrants.