Austin American-Statesman

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On Wednesday, Gov. Greg Abbott asked the federal government to assign an additional 250 patrol agents and five radar-mounted blimps to the Texas-Mexico border. In a letter to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Abbott noted that almost 10,000 immigrant families and unaccompan­ied children were detained across the border in August. He added that the problem is compounded by cartels and gangs which use border crossings as camouflage to bring “drugs, human traffickin­g, home invasions and kidnapping” to Texas. As reported by Chuck Lindell, “Democrats accused Abbott of exaggerati­ng the safety concerns along the border for political gain.”

Stan Wilson: Drama queen.

Dan McAtee: They’re coming for the jobs offered by Texas businesses. It’s against the law to hire illegal workers, but I haven’t heard Abbott mention any efforts in that direction.

Jason Kendall: Another conservati­ve looking for a federal handout.

Wayne Arnold: I find it hard to disagree with Trump’s policy summing the problem up: To be a strong nation, you have to be able to control your border. You have to enforce your laws. Your actions should always favor the best interest of your citizens over other groups.

Curtis Craven: Governor Abbott isn’t a reliable source for facts.

John Resch: I’m OK with them. They’re really hard workers — unlike our current workforce.

 ?? JOEL MARTINEZ / ASSOCIATED PRESS ?? Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said almost 10,000 immigrant families and unaccompan­ied children were detained across the border in August.
JOEL MARTINEZ / ASSOCIATED PRESS Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said almost 10,000 immigrant families and unaccompan­ied children were detained across the border in August.
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