First National Guard troops sent to border

Several dozen National Guard members took up posts near the Texas-Mexico border on Thursday, according to a report, the first wave authorized by Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R).  

Perry in July called up to 1,000 troops to the border to help deal with the surge of child migrants streaming into the United States. 

{mosads}The guardsmen are stationed at observation towers in the Rio Grande Valley in Hidalgo and Starr counties to help supplement the Customs and Border Protection effort already in place. 

Texas National Guard Master Sgt. Ken Walker said they would only be there “for support.” 

“We’re just trying to give some relief to the guys at Customs and Border Protection,” he told The Associated Press. 

Perry activated the National Guard in his state last month, saying he could not stand on the sidelines while Texas is under assault and children are detained in squalor.

“We are too good a country for that to occur,” Perry said at the time.

Perry has said the National Guard will act as a force multiplier for the Department of Homeland Security by enhancing security and acting as a visible presence to deter border crossings. 

He made clear last month he expected the federal government to reimburse the state for the operation, estimated to cost about $12 million per month.

Around 63,000 unaccompanied minors have been detained crossing the border this year. However, the rate of apprehension has slowed in the past month. 

Congress, so far, has failed to pass emergency funding to help deal with the increase in children crossing the border.