Dewhurst: National Guard border surge to wind down

November 19, 2014 14:21 CST
By PAUL J. WEBER and JUAN CARLOS LLORCA Associated Press

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- Outgoing Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst says the Texas National Guard will wind down a mission that sent 1,000 troops to the Texas-Mexico border come spring.


Dewhurst said Wednesday that a mix of additional state troopers and technology will replace the guardsmen that deployed to the Rio Grande Valley this summer. State leaders want to spend an extra $86 million to keep an elevated presence on the border through August.


Gov. Rick Perry had deployed National Guard troops to combat what he said were criminals exploiting a surge of children pouring into the U.S. illegally.


The number of unaccompanied children has since slowed dramatically. Dewhurst says that doesn't diminish the need for additional law enforcement.


A new Legislature in January could scrap the plan and plot a different course of action.

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