News 4/WOAI San Antonio: Texas Governor Greg Abbott is sending 1,000 National Guard troops to the border
SAN ANTONIO - One thousand Texas National Guard troops are heading to the border.
Governor Abbott held a press conference Friday saying troops will assist at new holding facilities for adults.
The governor feels it's necessary to help border patrol keep up with the surge of people crossing from Mexico.
Abbott also called out Congress for what he says is a failure to act.
It was a war of words...
"Congress is a group of reprobates for not addressing the crisis on our border, and we're not going to stand idly by and endanger the lives and safety of the State of Texas," Greg Abbott said.
Between Republican governor Greg Abbott and Democratic Congressman Lloyd Doggett.
"I think he's just a Trump want to be. He loves all this being tough on immigrants. That's just part of his program," Lloyd Doggett said.
Over the crisis at the border, between Texas and Mexico.
This morning, Abbott was joined by lieutenant governor Dan Patrick.
"It is time for Congress to quit talking, to quit arguing, quit fighting," said Dan Patrick.
And speaker Dennis Bonnen to announce he is sending 1,000 Texas National Guard troops to the border.
"All of these actions are necessary because Congress has failed to do its job," Greg Abbott said.
What's not in question, is that there is a crisis.
But Congressman Doggett says Congress isn't the problem.
"It is worse and it's been worsened by Trump policy," Doggett said.
He won't vote to appropriate money unless he's certain it won't be used to create more detention beds.
Doggett would like to send aid to what he says is the source of the crisis.
"By his refusal to provide support in Central America to actually discourage these folks from coming here."
As of today, those thousand troops are joining the troops already at the border, and the governor says he couldn't wait any longer.
"And it leaves states like Texas fending for themselves while we wait for Congress to act, Texas will do all we can to protect our communities."
The Governor says troops will work at detention centers for single adults and at border crossings alongside Border Patrol.
He also says the federal government is completely reimbursing the state for the cost.