More drones needed to patrol Mexican border, South Texas congressmen say

By Rick Spruill
Posted April 27, 2011 at 5:53 p.m., updated April 27, 2011 at 5:58 p.m.

CORPUS CHRISTI — One $30 million unmanned aerial vehicle is not enough to patrol 1,200 miles of border between Texas and Mexico, according to a group of South Texas lawmakers.

Three members of the Texas congressional delegation, including U.S. Rep. Blake Farenthold, R-Corpus Christi, on Wednesday met with state and federal officials at Naval Air Station Corpus Christi to push for additional unmanned flight operations in South Texas.

Flanked by U.S. Reps. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, and Michael McCaul, R-Katy, Farenthold stood beside the nose of the menacing — but unarmed — Predator B drone and said Texas is a prime candidate to receive additional drones by the end of the year.

One Predator based at the Naval Air Station, patrols Texas’ border with Mexico and the Gulf Coast, while three operate out of Fort Huachuca, Ariz., Cuellar said. A fifth operates out of Grand Banks Air Force Base, N.D.

The Texas-based Predator has operated out of Corpus Christi since February, although preparations began last fall.

Farenthold said the lawmakers are working to convince U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, a former governor and attorney general of Arizona, that the systems are needed here more than elsewhere.

“Texas tends to be overlooked, probably for political reasons,â€