GETTY Obama has quietly shutdown Operation Phalanx, a national programme to crackdown on migrants

FREE now and never miss the top politics stories again. SUBSCRIBE Invalid email Sign up fornow and never miss the top politics stories again. We will use your email address only for sending you newsletters. Please see our Privacy Notice for details of your data protection rights.

The Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Operation Phalanx, was launched in 2010 to supply the National Guard with resources to monitor illegal border crossings and drug smuggling operations. But Obama closed the programme, despite being fully funded for another year, because of a major reduction in illegal crossings.

We request immediate information on the metrics used to determine that a 50 per cent reduction in aerial resources would be sufficient to support this important border security operation Texas Governor Gregg Abbott and US Representative Henry Cuellar

This has left politicians furious at the outgoing President with Republicans

writing a letter to the DHS. Texas Governor Gregg Abbott and US Representative Henry Cuellar said the shut down is contradictory.

Borders across the world Sat, March 19, 2016 See the structures that are intended to prevent migrants from crossing the borders across the globe. Play slideshow EPA 1 of 26 Hungarian Army patrol the area along the temporary border fence on the Hungarian-Serbian border

Their letter read: “Any decrease in aerial observation is not only imprudent, but contradicts the very mission of border security enforcement. “In order to ensure we are doing everything possible to effectively secure the border, we request immediate information on the metrics used to determine that a 50 per cent reduction in aerial resources would be sufficient to support this important border security operation.”

GETTY Operation Phalanx showed its effectiveness by seizing almost 13,000 pounds of narcotics

GETTY The current border is not enough for Donald Trump who wants an impenetrable wall

Governor Abbott went the extra mile to post on twitter: “Obama is doing everything he can to open the border. January 20 can’t come soon enough.” One month before Donald Trump’s shock election win, the number of Incomplete Family Unit’s (IFU) illegally crossing the border sharply increased by 37 per cent, months after the billionaire promised to build an "impenetrable, physical, tall, powerful, beautiful, southern border wall" between the US and Mexico.

Bizarre smuggling attempts Tue, March 29, 2016 Criminals will go to extreme lengths to earn money, here are some of the most bizarre drug smuggle attempts, from parcels hid inside an ambulance and drugs smuggled inside a wig. Play slideshow SWN 1 of 19 A cannabis smuggling gang shipped £20 million worth of the class B drug into Britain in rolled up carpets