Texas National Guard Builds 2 Miles of Razor Wire Border Fencing near El Paso

While most families across the country celebrated the extended Christmas holiday weekend, members of the Texas National Guard built more than two miles of razor-wire border fencing near El Paso. Texas Governor Greg Abbott deployed the Guardsmen under Operation Lone Star to build the barriers after the City of El Paso declared a disaster as migrants surged across the border.

The Texas Military Department tweeted a video on Christmas Day showing the National Guard building a triple-strand concertina barrier “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. pic.twitter.com/X6JUkr9iQV

— Texas Military Dept. (@TXMilitary) December 25, 2022

Major General Ronald “Win” Burkett described the 72-hour mission for the Guardsmen.

“They’re focused on deterrence, they’re focused on sending a message that unlawful crossings is not an option,” General Burkett stated. “You’ve got to go to the POE (Port of Entry).”

The general described the logistics of the operation with the Texas Air National Guard airlifting 400 soldiers and equipment to El Paso in four C-130 aircraft on Saturday morning.

The Texas Guard is using C-130J aircraft to move 200 additional personnel and 40 HMMWV to expand operations in the El Paso.
The Texas National Guard is expediting the flow of additional forces to ensure rapid support to the border. Read more: https://t.co/5H3SnsJhJe pic.twitter.com/DEzuZw1n9a

— Texas Military Dept. (@TXMilitary) December 23, 2022

The soldiers went to work at 4 a.m. to string the triple-level wire along the riverbank in El Paso. By Tuesday morning, the soldiers erected more than two miles of the barrier, CNN reported. Texas Military Department officials told the news outlet they will build more in the coming days.

During the past week, Border Patrol officials released nearly 6,000 migrants to NGO’s in El Paso or onto the city’s streets, according to the city’s Migrant Situational Awareness Dashboard. More than 10,000 were released the week before.

All sectors along the border are increasing their response posture to protect Texas against the flood of migrants and cartel activity streaming into our state. pic.twitter.com/XMoZFPH5Ft

— Texas Military Dept. (@TXMilitary) December 23, 2022

At the other end of the Texas border with Mexico, National Guard soldiers placed addition razor-wire border fending in strategic areas, Breitbart Texas reported.

The emplacement of container barriers by TDEM will help prevent illegal migrant crossings as Texas National Guard continues to secure border areas between official points of entry to prevent, deter and interdict illegal immigration and transnational criminal activity. pic.twitter.com/H4oblEsjKp

— Texas Military Dept. (@TXMilitary) December 24, 2022

In other locations along the border, the state expanded its use of shipping containers to extend border barriers.