This week, Republican Texas Governor Greg Abbott reportedly signed several legislation pertaining to border security, one of which categorizes Mexican drug cartels as terrorist groups.
Abbott signed a measure into law, formalizing his executive order designating Mexican drug gangs as terrorist organizations and toughening the punishments for drug-related offenses.
“The Texas Legislature has stepped up to make sure we continue to robustly respond to President Biden’s growing border crisis, including allocating $5.1 billion for border security. Today, I am signing six bills from this year’s regular session to ensure that Texas can continue to do even more to stop illegal immigration at our southern border and provide new tools to the brave men and women along the southern border to protect Texans and Americans from the chaos and crisis of the border.” Abbott said.
According to the governor’s office, Abbott signed a number of bills that would permit the use of drones by Texas’ armed forces, expand the range of options available to Border Patrol agents trained by the DPS when apprehending suspects for felonies, establish a grant program for Texans whose property has been damaged by drug or human traffickers, and promote greater interstate cooperation on border security issues.
In the days after the expiry of Title 42, a border regulation connected to COVID, last month, Texas experienced a massive influx of foreign illegal immigrants crossing its borders.
El Paso and Laredo, two Texas communities, have proclaimed states of emergency in response to the border issue. Along with the hundreds of people seeking refuge in the United States, Mexican drug gangs also want to use the open border to smuggle narcotics into the US.
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