Approximately 300 Texas National Guard soldiers are heading to the South Texas border city of Laredo to support U.S. Border Patrol agents,Laredo Sector Chief Patrol Agent Jesse Muñoz announced via a local news outlet on Friday. The troops are expected to arrive in Laredo within a month.
While immigration-related duties fall under federal jurisdiction, Governor Greg Abbott announced an agreement with President Donald Trump last week granting Texas National Guard soldiers the authority to make immigration arrests as long as they are accompanied by federal counterparts. The move expands Texas' role in federal immigration enforcement.
Abbott told Fox News that the soldiers "have been deputized" to do "everything ICE would do, such as apprehending, arresting, and deporting." Additionally, the governor stated that the Texas Department of Public Safety is also heavily involved in statewide immigration efforts, assisting with the detention and deportation of undocumented immigrants.
Trump and Abbott exchanged praise during the former's inauguration, with Trump promising the Texas governor that he would be a strong partner in border security initiatives.
Critics of National Guard elements performing immigration duties have raised concerns, questioning the legality of the move.
Joseph Nunn, counsel at the Brennan Center's Liberty and National Security Program, told Texas Public Radio that the agreement may align with a federal law permitting state and local law enforcement to assist with immigration enforcement. However, Nunn noted that the law does not specifically mention the use of state guard forces.
"This is a law enforcement issue, not a military problem," Nunn said. "Soldiers, including the Texas National Guard, are trained to be soldiers. They're not trained to be immigration enforcement agents."
Addressing existing concerns, Chief Muñoz emphasized that the soldiers will operate under the direct supervision of Border Patrol agents. "If they make an apprehension, Border Patrol agents will be close by to assist," he explained.
Days before the announcement the Pentagon confirmed the deployment of 1,500 active duty troops to the border. During a recent trip to the area, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated that the troops would serve as a "force multiplier." The figure is expected to rise to 10,000.
Hegseth was accompanied by Trump's border czar, Thomas Homan, who has recently voiced frustration over failed large-scale raids. Homan is under increasing pressure as Trump's ambitious deportation promises heavily rely on his leadership. Reports indicate that the president has expressed frustration over the "low" number of deportations.
ICE averaged 787 arrests per day in the last week of January—falling short of the agency's reported daily quota of 1,200 to 1,500 individuals.
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