Gov. Abbott plans to send M113 armored personnel carriers to Texas border

Nov 21, 2022

Ryan Robertson Anchor, Investigative Reporter

By Ryan Robertson (Anchor, Investigative Reporter)

Texas Governor Greg Abbott said he’s fighting “an invasion” at the southern border last week. When he launched Operation Lone Star last year, thousands of Texas soldiers went to the border. Now, it looks like those soldiers will be getting armored personnel carriers.

Today I wrote Pres. Biden to explain why Texas is invoking Art. 1 Sec. 10 of the Constitution to respond to the invasion caused by Biden's open border policies.

Texas is prioritizing repelling & returning immigrants who enter illegally.

Full letter:https://t.co/v3GZmqVdoM

— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) November 16, 2022

According to an order obtained by Army Times and the Texas Tribune, 10 Vietnam-era M113 APCs will soon deploy to the Texas border. 50 soldiers will be trained to operate the vehicles, which are designed to carry troops into battle alongside tanks.

The APCs are bulletproof by definition and can be fitted with an array of weapons like machine guns, grenade launchers, even a cannon. It’s unclear, however, whether Texas will arm the APCs. M113s also feature tracks instead of tires, so they can traverse more difficult terrain with a lower risk of getting stuck.

In addition to deploying the “battle taxis,” the Texas Military Department said the Texas National Guard will also increase aircraft flights and security efforts at the border.

Since President Joe Biden took office, a record number of migrants have crossed the southern border. Gov. Abbott and other conservative leaders accuse the federal government of dereliction of duty by failing to secure the southern border. Critics said Abbott is trying to justify his invasion narrative by criminalizing asylum seekers and migrants looking to better their lives.

Tags: Border, Greg Abbott, Immigration, Operation Lone Star, Texas, U.S.-Mexico Border

TEXAS GOVERNOR GREG ABBOT SAID HE’S FIGHTING AN INVASION AT THE SOUTHERN BORDER.

WHEN HE LAUNCHED OPERATION LONE STAR LAST YEAR, THOUSANDS OF TEXAS SOLDIERS WENT TO THE BORDER. NOW, IT LOOKS LIKE THOSE SOLDIERS WILL BE GETTING ARMORED PERSONNEL CARRIERS.

ACCORDING TO AN ORDER OBTAINED BY ARMY TIMES AND THE TEXAS TRIBUNE, 10 VIETNAM-ERA M113 APC’S WILL SOON DEPLOY TO THE TEXAS BORDER. 50 SOLDIERS WILL BE TRAINED TO OPERATE THE VEHICLES, WHICH ARE DESIGNED TO CARRY TROOPS INTO BATTLE ALONGSIDE TANKS.

THE APC’S ARE BULLET-PROOF BY DEFINITION, AND CAN BE FITTED WITH AN ARRAY OF WEAPONS LIKE MACHINE GUNS, GRENADE LAUNCHERS, EVEN A CANNON. BUT IT’S UNCLEAR WHETHER TEXAS WILL ARM THE APC’S. M113s ALSO FEATURE TRACKS INSTEAD OF TIRES, SO THEY CAN TRAVERSE MORE DIFFICULT TERRAIN WITH A LOWER RISK OF GETTING STUCK.

IN ADDITION TO DEPLOYING THE “BATTLE TAXIS,” THE TEXAS MILITARY DEPARTMENT SAID THE TEXAS NATIONAL GUARD WILL ALSO INCREASE AIRCRAFT FLIGHTS AND SECURITY EFFORTS AT THE BORDER.

SINCE PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN TOOK OFFICE, A RECORD NUMBER OF MIGRANTS HAVE CROSSED THE SOUTHERN BORDER. GOVERNOR ABBOTT AND OTHER CONSERVATIVE LEADERS ACCUSE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF DERELICTION OF DUTY BY FAILING TO SECURE THE SOUTHERN BORDER. CRITICS SAY ABBOT IS TRYING TO JUSTIFY HIS INVASION NARRATIVE BY CRIMINALISING ASYLUM SEEKERS AND MIGRANTS LOOKING TO BETTER THEIR LIVES.