Guard to use helicopters on next Texas border mission – WV MetroNews

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia National Guard soldiers will head back to the Texas border at the end of October, this time by air.

The mission will be funded by the federal government. Troops returned from the southern border last week following a month-long deployment that was paid for by the state as part of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s Operation Lone Star initiative.

State Adjutant General Maj. Bill Crane said they’ll use helicopter patrols to cover more ground compared to on foot.

“It’s an ability to see a lot more area with an aviation asset versus everybody just sitting along on the ground. It’s just a different way of observing what’s going on,” he said.

More than 50 troops were stationed in Eagle Pass, Tx. about two hours from El Paso during the month of August. The Guard said they encountered more than 10,000 illegal immigrants trying to cross the border during the 30-day period.

Crane said when they head back to Texas, the mission remains the same: to protect the border.

“We have to have legal immigration. The United States need it. We don’t just need folks just heading to the border and we don’t know what they’re here to do,” he said.

Gov. Jim Justice agreed and said if the Biden administration doesn’t address the border crisis, West Virginia will answer the call to.

“I mean really and truly the flood of illegal immigrants is unbelievable. They ought to step up. If they don’t step up and I’m called on to do my little part, I’m going to be there,” the governor said.

Justice said a big reason why West Virginia wants to get involved is because of the ongoing drug crisis statewide.

“That fentanyl, the bad guys that are coming our way, we’ve got to step up,” he said.

Troops previously encountered migrants from all different nations including Russia and Ukraine.