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CBP Empowers Texas National Guard Soldiers to Arrest Illegal Aliens [WATCH]

Posted By RVM News Staff On In Law Enforcement,News | 1 Comment

A newly reviewed memorandum of understanding (MOU) between U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the State of Texas will immediately grant Texas National Guard soldiers the authority [1] to make immigration arrests within the state.

The memorandum, authored by CBP Acting Commissioner Pete R. Flores, expands the role of Texas National Guard personnel in border security efforts.

The MOU, which has not yet been fully disseminated across all Texas border sectors, authorizes National Guard soldiers to conduct roving patrols and perform duties typically assigned to immigration officers.

However, the agreement stipulates that these soldiers must operate under the supervision of a U.S. immigration officer or Border Patrol agent.

The preliminary structure of the program sets the ratio at one immigration officer per four Texas National Guard soldiers.

The new authority follows similar actions taken just days after President Donald Trump’s inauguration.

On January 23, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) authorized multiple federal law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, ATF, and U.S. Marshals, to investigate, locate, and apprehend individuals in the U.S. illegally.

The memorandum granting this expanded authority was obtained and released in a CBS News report, detailing the administration’s latest immigration enforcement measures.

Under Title 8 of the United States Code, arrest authority for immigration violations is typically granted to federal immigration agents.

Image Credit: © Omar Ornelas/El Paso Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images [9]
Migrant plead with the Texas National Guard to be let in on the north embankment of the Rio Grande in El Paso, Texas in order to be processed by Border Patrol on March 20, 2024.

The new memorandum effectively extends that authority to Texas National Guard soldiers when working alongside federal agents, increasing the number of personnel involved in immigration enforcement efforts.

With this agreement, an estimated 3,000 Texas Army National Guard soldiers will now assist the DHS in enforcing federal immigration laws.

Their duties, which have traditionally been reserved for law enforcement personnel assigned to federal agencies, will now include apprehending individuals suspected of being in the country illegally.

The move is expected to bolster border security operations by increasing manpower along key entry points.

Texas has been at the center of immigration enforcement actions, with Governor Greg Abbott’s administration taking a strong stance on border security.

The deployment of National Guard soldiers with immigration arrest authority represents an escalation in the state’s immigration enforcement strategy.

Image Credit: © Omar Ornelas/ El Paso Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images [10]
A Texas National Guard officer stood by his vehicle with Ciudad Juarez in the background. The National Guard was stationed on the Rio Grande after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott called up the guard to El Paso and other parts of the state.

As the agreement takes effect, Texas National Guard personnel will play a larger role in addressing illegal immigration under federal supervision.