Texas Gov. Rick Perry Sending National Guard to State Border

CHRISTOPHER SHERMAN
Associated Press

AUSTIN, Texas — Gov. Rick Perry says he’s deploying as many as 1,000 National Guard troops to the Texas-Mexico border after growing tied of “lip service” from the federal government.

Perry said Monday that the National Guard will provide additional support to a state-funded border surge that is costing an additional $1.3 million a week.

Much of the area has been overwhelmed in recent months by tens of thousands of unaccompanied children illegally entering the U.S.

Perry says criminals are exploiting the situation for human and drug trafficking.

More than 3,000 Border Patrol agents currently work in the region. The deployment of the National Guard is expected to unfold over the next 30 days.

Democrats and some Texas border sheriffs are criticizing the plan as an ill-conceived militarization.