Gov. Abbott announces $500M luxury military base in Texas to stop flow of migrants

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Gov. Greg Abbott announced his latest initiative to reduce illegal immigration in Texas -- an 80-acre military base in Eagle Pass -- to cement a permanent presence for Operation Lone Star.

Abbott stated in a press conference that the massive base would allow the state to permanently “amass a large army in a strategic area.”

The base, which could end up costing Texans more than half a billion dollars, will house 1,800–2,300 National Guard soldiers and offer opulent amenities like chef-prepared meals, a fitness center, and recreational spaces.

Though many Texans will scoff at the exorbitant cost of the base, Abbott believes its construction is paramount to securing the Texas border and providing stable housing for the troops involved.

“Before this effort here, they had been living in conditions that were atypical for military operations,” Abbott said at the news conference. “Because of the magnitude of what we’re doing, because of the need to sustain and actually expand our efforts of what we’re doing, it’s essential that we build this base camp for the soldiers.”

According to the Team Housing Solutions proposal, the camp will have 51 dorms, 15 "executive suites," three command centers, two motor pools, boat maintenance facilities, and a helipad. It will be located right on the Rio Grande, a few miles south of Shelby Park.

National Guard soldiers deployed in Eagle Pass will also enjoy a host of amenities including a 15,000-square-foot dining facility with 24-hour service of “chef-driven meals” and “buffet style meals,” a fully equipped fitness center, a recreation center with a library and arcade, an outdoor basketball court, and a sand volleyball court.

"As opposed to being scattered around many different places across this region, they will be operating out of one place. It will amass a large army in a very strategic area. It will increase the speed and flexibility of the Texas National Guard to be able to respond to crossings," Abbott said.

Abbott's military base announcement adds yet another wrench to his ongoing feud with the Biden administration over the handling of illegal immigration in Texas.

Abbott has long suggested that Biden is not doing enough to shield Texas and said that illegal immigration has surged since he took office.

“President Biden has abandoned his constitutional duty to protect Americans by refusing to secure our southern border,” Abbott said. “During his presidency, Joe Biden has smashed records for illegal immigration and allowed total chaos to be unleashed along our southern border."

“As opposed to detaining illegal immigrants, Biden has let them all loose, with no ability to accurately determine their whereabouts,” Abbott said during a press conference in February. “We’ve seen the catastrophic consequences of Joe Biden’s open border policy.”

Now, with over $10 billion in funding for Operation Lone Star, Abbott plans to take matters into his own hands.

"When [immigrants] find themselves at the crossroads of going to Texas or elsewhere, they will now know that the wrong place to go is Texas," Abbott said.