A county judge visiting Texas’ southern border alleges the Texas National Guard is being used to “aid and abet illegal border crossings,” providing pictures to back up their claims.
As part of “Operation Lone Star,” a small number of Texas National Guard troops have been used to ostensibly assist Texas Department of Public Safety Officers and U.S. Border Patrol amid the massive spike in illegal crossings this year.
This past weekend on September 25, former Collin County Judge Keith Self told Texas Scorecard he traveled with a group to visit the border at two known crossing points, one in La Joya and another in Roma.
“I watched approximately 150 illegal immigrants raft across the Rio Grande River at Roma, Texas. They were met on U.S. sovereign territory by the Texas National Guard, who helped them out of the rafts and up the steep bank, then moved them into town to meet the Border Control agents who then processed them into America,” said Self.
“Our National Guard is being used to aid and abet illegal border crossings. I do not believe that I watched rogue National Guard soldiers openly assisting illegal immigration.”
Rather than turn the illegals around, pictures taken and provided by Self appear to show them being greeted and assisted off their rafts.
Self described the scene as follows.
The operation was brazenly efficient. Cars arrive at regular intervals at the drop-off point in Mexico. Two rafts openly transport them across the river. Texas National Guard soldiers meet them at the U.S. take-out point and escort them to the Border Patrol collection point for processing. They arrive dry and clean with commercially produced wristbands that include an individual identifying number.
These illegal immigrants were part of a sophisticated operation.
Self provided a photo of one of these wristbands, with the word “entregas” written on it—a Spanish word meaning “deliveries.”
“I also saw a small number preparing to wade the river under a bridge, most likely not involved in the formal, U.S.-sanctioned process. They retreated back into Mexico when they saw us approach the river,” Self added.
“Hundreds of illegal immigrants invade America every night; that is not shocking. That the Texas National Guard soldiers have obviously been ordered to assist the invasion is.”
Texas Scorecard contacted the Texas Military Department for comment, but no response was received by publishing. This article will be updated if a response is received.
