Overview

• The agreement, signed by Governor Greg Abbott and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, allows Texas National Guard soldiers to make immigration arrests effective immediately.
• National Guard members must work alongside federal immigration officials while exercising their newly granted powers.
• The initiative aims to address manpower shortages in federal immigration enforcement, with 3,000 National Guard soldiers joining the effort.
• Legal experts have raised concerns about the unprecedented use of state military personnel for immigration enforcement and the potential for judicial challenges.
• Governor Abbott has long advocated for stricter border security measures, including previous efforts like Operation Lone Star and calls for federal reimbursement of Texas's border security expenditures.