March 16 Texas Gov. Rick Perry has activated a secret contingency plan to handle spillover violence, citing an increasing threat along the Texas-Mexico border.
Perry's office said details of the plan, activated Tuesday, wouldn't be released because of security concerns. However, the governor said, "We have taken important measures to increase the law enforcement presence along the Texas border and have placed additional resources on standby to combat any potential situation."
The plan includes increased surveillance of border activity and more ground, air and maritime patrols. Additional resources ready for rapid deployment have been placed on standby. Those resources include Texas Department of Public Safety tactical teams and Trooper Strike Teams, as well as Texas Ranger Recon Teams prepared to deploy based on the threat.
March 18
AUSTIN, Texas — Gov. Rick Perry has ordered Texas National Guard helicopters to the border to support law enforcement efforts to block any spillover of Mexican border violence.
A statement issued by Perry's office Thursday says the Texas Military Forces OH-58 Kiowa and UH-72 Lakota helicopters are part of the initial phase of his spillover violence contingency plan. The statement says the aircraft will fly between Brownsville and El Paso, but their "number and exact location will not be disclosed for operational security purposes.
The aircraft will complement those already deployed to the border by the Texas Department of Public Safety.