Governor Greg Abbott says Texas is prepared to repel any “mass immigration” attempts if migrants try to cross the border before the Trump administration takes office. The Governor’s Office has released video of Texas National Guard troops assigned to the “Operation Lone Star” border security operation doing crowd control training near the “Border Wall.”

Texas will not be the first to use force to deter attempts to rush its border with Mexico. Texas National Guardsmen intervened on March 21, 2024, to prevent a migrant crowd from rushing a border crossing in El Paso.

That wasn’t an isolated instance. On August 8, 2023, a migrant mob in Matamoros, Mexico, attempted to rush across the International Bridge to Brownsville. Authorities on the United States side stopped the bridge before the crowd could cross into Texas.

The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) said they prepared for a potential migrant rush to the Texas border if one occurred:

“We are closely monitoring. There are tens of thousands of immigrants waiting in southern Mexico (to see) what will happen and we anticipate a surge but Texas is ready.” DPS Lt. Chris Olivarez (via Fox News) October 31, 2024

Meanwhile, Texas continues to fortify its borders, making it more difficult for migrants to enter the state illegally. Troops assigned to “Operation Lone Star” continue to string razor and concertina wire at established crossing locations along the Rio Grande.

Construction crews hired by the State of Texas are actively expanding the Border Wall along other parts of the border. North of its shared border with Mexico, the state has successfully built over 35 miles of new border wall inland of the river.