Abbott Pledges to Build a Border Wall for Texas

[Geee]

Townhall

Texas Governor Greg Abbott is taking border security into his own hands, pledging to build a wall between the Lone Star State and Mexico.

 

The governor spoke about the plan at a Border Security Summit press conference on Thursday and said more details would be forthcoming. 

“President Biden’s open-border policies have led to a humanitarian crisis at our southern border as record levels of illegal immigrants, drugs, and contraband pour into Texas,” Abbott said in a statement. 

“While securing the border is the federal government’s responsibility, Texas will not sit idly by as this crisis grows," he continued. "The state is working collaboratively with communities impacted by the crisis to arrest and detain individuals coming into Texas illegally. Our efforts will only be effective if we work together to secure the border, make criminal arrests, protect landowners, rid our communities of dangerous drugs, and provide Texans with the support they need and deserve. This is an unprecedented crisis, and Texas is responding with the most robust and comprehensive border plan the nation has ever seen.”

[Draggingtree]

Texas to spend $25 million on 2-mile concrete barrier amid Gov. Greg Abbott’s push for a state-funded border wall

BY JAMES BARRAGÁNAUG. 13, 2021

The Texas Department of Transportation is set to pay nearly $25 million for the construction of a nearly 2-mile concrete barrier along the border in Eagle Pass, giving the first glimpse into the potential cost of a state-funded border wall pushed by Gov. Greg Abbott.

Under the project, the state has also contracted for a temporary fence near the right of way along State Loop 480, which the Department of Public Safety has designated a high-traffic area for illegal immigration. The region has seen an increase in illegal border crossings in recent years.

The fence, construction of which Abbott has touted online, cost the state $280,000. The contract also paid for clearing of vegetation around the area where the barrier will be built.     https://www.texastribune.org/2021/08/13/texas-border-wall-greg-abbott/

[Draggingtree]

Texas House approves additional $2 billion for border security as state moves to build border wall

The bill would nearly triple border security funding from the last biennium. The legislation needs one more vote of approval from the House before moving to the Senate.

BY JAMES BARRAGÁN AUG. 27, 2021UPDATED:

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The Texas House approved nearly $2 billion in additional funding for border security operations, giving Gov. Greg Abbott more state dollars to implement his plans to build a border wall and incarcerate migrants for state criminal offenses in an effort to deter migrants from coming to the state.

Lawmakers gave final approval on Monday to a funding bill by a vote of 85-36 that would triple what the state allocated for border security during the last biennium. The bill now moves to the Senate. The $1.88 billion appropriated by House Bill 9 is in addition to the $1.05 billion lawmakers approved for border security this spring.

“There’s a crisis on our southern border with serious consequences extending throughout our state,” said Rep. Greg Bonnen, R-Friendswood, who authored the bill. “Texas must respond to the crisis that has been brought to our doorstep.”     

[Valin]

Sept. 13 2021

This could be the worst year in American history for illegal border crossings. It already hit the top 5 with two months left to go in the fiscal year, not counting August— a tumultuous month. Border agents had encountered more than (1.3) million illegal border crossers so far. We were there as the Border Crisis hit a new peak… and we found the record numbers amid a virus pandemic have created a perfect storm of chaos.

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This is what Real Reporting looks like.

[Valin]

Nov. 4 2021

Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Texas, says he thinks the new border wall construction is a ‘great idea’