In a significant escalation of efforts to secure the U.S.-Mexico border, the Texas National Guard has been granted the authority to make immigration arrests under a new agreement with the Trump administration. Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced the move on Sunday, stating that the expanded powers are effective “immediately.”
The agreement, part of President Trump’s broader immigration crackdown, aims to bolster border security by empowering National Guard soldiers to assist federal immigration officials. This development comes as the Trump administration continues its vow to expel millions of undocumented immigrants, a promise that has defined its immigration policy since taking office.
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Governor Abbott announced the agreement on social media, emphasizing that it “boosts manpower for border security.”
The memorandum of understanding, authored by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Acting Commissioner Pete Flores, grants Texas National Guard soldiers the ability to conduct roving patrols and perform the duties of immigration agents, provided they are accompanied by a U.S. immigration officer or Border Patrol agent.
The agreement has yet to be disseminated to all Texas border sectors, according to Breitbart, which first reported the deal. Representatives for Governor Abbott’s office and CBP did not immediately respond to requests for comment on when the memorandum would be fully implemented.
The Texas National Guard’s new role is part of a broader push by the Trump administration to enhance immigration enforcement. On January 23, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a directive granting Justice Department law enforcement officials—including U.S. Marshals, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) personnel—the authority to investigate and apprehend suspected undocumented immigrants.
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This latest agreement with Texas builds on those efforts, leveraging the state’s National Guard to address what the administration has described as a crisis at the southern border.
The Texas National Guard’s new role is part of a broader push by the Trump administration to enhance immigration enforcement. On January 23, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a directive granting Justice Department law enforcement officials—including U.S. Marshals, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) personnel—the authority to investigate and apprehend suspected undocumented immigrants.
This latest agreement with Texas builds on those efforts, leveraging the state’s National Guard to address what the administration has described as a crisis at the southern border.
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