The state of Texas will start the process of transporting cooperating illegal immigrants to the steps of the U.S. Capitol building, Gov. Abbott announced Wednesday.
As the state anticipates an even heavier surge - 18,000 illegal immigrants per day - after Title 42 ends, Abbott said the transportation to the nation’s capital is one of several measures the state is taking to curb the problem, Just the News reports.
Abbott met Wednesday with law enforcement officials in Del Rio and Weslaco, where he announced a series of new strategies being added to Operation Lone Star.
The strategies include using taxpayer money to send illegal immigrants right to the Capitol.
“We are sending them to the U.S. Capitol where the Biden administration will more immediately be able to address the needs of the people that they are allowing to cross our border,” Abbott said.
The Texas Department of Emergency Management will oversee the operation, which begins Thursday.
The state will transport migrants who have already been processed and released from federal custody via charter buses or commercial flights.
“A migrant must volunteer to be transported and show documentation from DHS,” the governor’s office said. “Mayors and county judges can notify TDEM of any DHS-facilitated drop-off of migrants in their communities so that the agency can provide appropriate transportation.”
The Texas National Guard is also building barricades to block illegal entry into Texas, and will deploy boat blockades on the Rio Grande River at certain key points on the Texas side of the river, razor wire in low water crossings in high traffic areas, and create container blockades to drive people away from low water crossings.
