FORT WORTH, Texas — Texas Governor Greg Abbott was in Fort Worth Friday to sign a bill into law that would provide $1.8 billion in state funding for border security.
House Bill 9 was passed on Aug. 30 during the Texas Legislature's second special session. It provides funding over the next two years towards security at the southern border.
The $1.8 billion in funding is in addition to the $1.1 billion that was allocated during the regular legislative session earlier this year.
Abbott took part in a ceremonial signing at the Fort Worth Police Officers Association headquarters Friday afternoon alongside Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, state Sen. Jane Nelson, state Rep. Greg Bonnen and the association's president, Manny Ramirez.
"Our border crisis goes beyond the Rio Grande Valley and our South Texas communities — the smuggling of drugs, people, and weapons reaches far and wide throughout our state, and it affects all of us," Abbott said in a statement. "That is why border security funding is crucial to our efforts to keep the entire state of Texas safe and secure."
According to Abbott, the funding will go toward resources such as the Texas Department of Public Safety and the National Guard, as well as the state's border wall. Funds will also be given to local law enforcement agencies that are on the southern border.
"[The funds] will provide grants for local counties as well as local enforcement that are on the border that are on the frontline of having to respond to the crisis created by the Biden administration," Abbott said.
Friday's bill signing comes as the border city of Del Rio is currently seeing thousands of migrants trying to enter into the U.S. A majority of them are Haitian, according to the Val Verde County judge.
On Thursday, Abbott ordered six points of entry at the southern border to shut down. Del Rio Mayor Bruno Lozano said Friday that the city and Texas DPS troopers will close toll booths at the port of entry bridge amid the current flow of migrants.