Perry sending National Guard to fight crime along border

America’s 2014 border crisis. America’s 2014 border crisis. Photo: Jerry Lara, Express-News File Photos Photo: Jerry Lara, Express-News File Photos Image 1 of / 165 Caption Close Perry sending National Guard to fight crime along border 1 / 165 Back to Gallery

AUSTIN -- Gov. Rick Perry said Monday he will send as many as 1,000 Texas National Guard troops to the Rio Grande Valley to fight crime while other authorities are overwhelmed by a flood of unaccompanied children from Central America.

The National Guard troops will support a surge in Texas Department of Public Safety officers sent to the southern border last month, said Perry, calling the troops a "force multiplier."

"Operation Strong Safety," as the effort is called, is aimed at combatting crime along the border and will particularly target Mexican drug cartels "trying to exploit this tragedy (of unaccompanied minors flooding the border) for their own criminal opportunities," Perry said.

He and other officials noted that unaccompanied children make up only 20 percent of illegal immigrants coming across the border and that there were 8,496 illegal immigrants booked into Texas jails for crimes between April and June of this year.

"I will not stand idly by while our citizens are under assault and little children from Central America are detained in squalor," the governor said, adding that "you cannot have national security without border security."

The deployment was first reported by the McAllen Monitor on Sunday night. The official announcement was made at a packed afternoon news conference by Perry and other officials, including Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and Attorney General Greg Abbott.

Dewhurst said the deployment is necessary because the flood of unaccompanied minors has hurt the federal Border Patrol's ability to do its job.

Abbott said he expects the federal government to reimburse the cost of the deployment -- about $12 million per month, in addition to the $5 million monthly cost of the DPS officers. His office is prepared to sue the federal government if necessary to get the reimbursement, he said.

"Texans are prepared to put the boots on the ground," Abbott said. "But we expect Washington to foot the bill."

Democrats immediately criticized the deployment, accusing Perry of using the guard to score political points.

"Local law enforcement, elected officials, and faith and community leaders in the Rio Grande Valley have expressed concerned about militarizing the border, the need to create a short-term humanitarian solution, and solving the long-term need for comprehensive immigration reform," Texas Democratic Party spokesman Emmanuel Garcia said in a statement sent to news media.

"Today, Governor Rick Perry ignored those voices. While those in the Valley are working hard to care for thousands of children in need and demanding we fix our broken immigration system, Governor Perry is continuing his routine of photo-op politics to further his Presidential aspirations."

A White House spokesman called the planned guard call-up a "symbolic" move by Perry.

"I know that Gov. Perry is hopeful that it will send an important symbol," White House Press Secretaryt Josh Earnest said in his daily press briefing. "What we're focused on is making sure we have the necessary resources at the border to deal with the problem on a sustained basis. By nature a National Guard deployment is temporary."