On Tuesday, the Texas Military Department (TMD) released a statement announcing that the Texas National Guard had constructed a triple-strand concertina barrier, also known as a razor-wire fence, along the Rio Grande in El Paso to secure the area from illegal crossings.
“This morning, service members deployed to El Paso, Texas constructed a triple-strand concertina barrier near the border to secure the area from illegal crossings,” the TMD, which oversees the state’s National Guard, posted to Twitter.
The move was taken in response to high levels of illegal border crossings and the pending expiration of Title 42, a rule implemented during the Trump administration that aimed to reduce illegal immigration.
Governor Greg Abbott has ordered more than 400 Texas National Guard personnel to El Paso as part of a “contingency border force” to address the situation.
According to media outlets, the National Guard’s primary goal is to prevent illegal crossings into Texas, while also trying to redirect asylum-seekers to designated ports of entry.
On Tuesday, a group of around 75 people seeking to enter the United States through an unauthorized crossing faced off against National Guard members and state troopers. A National Guard service member reportedly used a bullhorn to inform the group that they would be unable to enter.
