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National Guard Troops deploy to Del Rio

National Guard troops continue to arrive along the Texas-Mexico border. Their latest deployment, is to Del Rio. When it comes to border security, both the Concho Valley and Big Country fall into the Del Rio sector.

DEL RIO, TEXAS — "President Donald Trump requested 2,000 to 4,000 national guards be activated as part of Operation Guardian Support. Under article 32 of the United States Code, he has the authority to do this,” Deputy Patrol Agent in Charge for the Border Patrol Jose Castro said.

100 of those troops have already arrived in Del Rio and are scheduled to begin their duties on Monday.

“At no time will National Guard elements or representatives be acting in law enforcement capacity," Castro said.

“We'll be at Border Patrol stations doing jobs mostly be behind desks, some will be working maintenance in their repair facilities but we will have no contact with immigrants in the field at all,” Capt. Kyle Nelson with the Texas Army National Guard said.

Castro says, the troops are there to support the border patrol in the operation that's meant to be proactive versus reactive.

"Our goal and objective is to put as many badges on the line,” Castro said.

The operation was put into place partly due to the 2013 influx of unaccompanied minors coming across the border. Something Castro calls a "humanitarian crisis."

"In order to anticipate any crisis we're acting sooner rather than later,” Castro Said.

Operation Guardian Support is part of the effort to curb those numbers and save lives, while utilizing resources from our own state.

"Texans helping Texans is what we like to say,” Capt. Nelson said.

So far in the Lone Star State, national guard troops have been deployed to El Paso, Laredo, and the Rio Grande Valley.

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