Texas plans to build military base near the Mexican border

Texas plans to build a National Guard base along the border with Mexico to respond to illegal immigration into the United States.

The base, which will span 80 acres along the Rio Grande in the border city of Eagle Pass, will house 1,800 troops and could expand to 2,300, Texas Governor Greg Abbott said at a press conference on Feb. 16. The facility could host 300 Texas National Guard troops starting in April.

Eagle Pass is a hotspot on the US-Mexico border. Mr. Abbott has sent the Texas National Guard to the city to erect barbed wire and other barriers to prevent immigrants from crossing into the US.

"The base allows Texas officials to concentrate troops in this strategic area and increases the flexibility of the Texas National Guard to respond to illegal immigration," Mr. Abbott added.

Texas National Guard soldiers in Eagle Pass on February 4. Photo: AFP

The move comes amid growing disagreements between Mr Abbott and President Joe Biden over immigration policy. The US has seen a record number of illegal border crossings from Mexico since Mr Biden took office in 2021.

Mr Abbott and other Republicans have blamed Mr Biden for undoing immigration policies implemented by his predecessor, Donald Trump. The Texas governor has also accused the White House of failing to act on drug cartels controlling the Mexican border.

Abbott has installed about 100 miles of barbed wire along the Rio Grande, a move the Biden administration has challenged and challenged in the US Supreme Court. The court has temporarily allowed federal border patrol to cut the wire, but Texas continues to install the fence while awaiting a final ruling.

Texas also passed a law making illegal border crossing a state crime, giving state police and courts more power to prosecute people accused of illegally crossing the border. The law, which took effect in March, is expected to create more legal battles between Texas and the federal government.

Location of Eagle Pass city and Rio Grande river, natural border between the US and Mexico. Graphic: New York Post

Nhu Tam (According to Reuters, AFP )

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