Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) on Monday officially announced that he will deploy about 1,000 members of the National Guard to the border, and said that he expects the federal government to reimburse the state.
The governor said during a press conference that Texas will pay for the National Guard to be at the border for now.
Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott said the state was seeking legal consultation regarding funding for “Operation Strong Safety.” He said that the state will work with officials in Washington, D.C. on funding options.
“Texans are willing to put boots on the ground, but we expect Washington to foot the bill,” he said.
Abbott expects the federal government to do the “right thing,” and doesn’t anticipate any litigation.
During the press conference, Texas Adjutant General John Nichols said that while the National Guard could technically make arrests at the border, they will be there to support Border Patrol by referring undocumented immigrants to law enforcement.
