Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) greeted 300 Texas National Guard troops as they moved into a new 80-acre base camp in Eagle Pass on Friday. The base, which is part of Abbott’s border security initiative, Operation Lone Star, will eventually house up to 1,700 soldiers by November.
Abbott stressed the need for this unprecedented effort, blaming President Biden’s open border policies for the record-breaking number of illegal border crossings. “More than 10 million people have been apprehended crossing the border illegally in just the three-and-a-half years of Joe Biden’s presidency,” he said.
The new base will not only position troops right along the border but also provide housing and improve the quality of life for service members, according to Abbott. Texas, he said, won’t stop until it gains full operational control of its border.
Officials believe having a base right along the border will enhance operational efficiency and effectiveness. The joint task force will now be moved to the command base as part of Operation Lone Star.
Upon completion of the project, three other base camps will be closed, and soldiers currently stationed in hotels around regional areas will be relocated to the new base. This move is expected to save time and money for troops who currently have to travel 30 minutes to an hour to reach the border. Overall, the project is projected to save over $11 million a month.
