Border security efforts ongoing, New York National Guard mobilized to Texas

Last week, 120 New York Army National Guard soldiers assigned to the 204th Engineer Battalion were sent to Texas to participate in a federal mission, Operation Ardent Vanguard. Mobilization ceremonies were held at the armory in Binghamton, New York, including families of the Forward Support Company participating in an official send-off on Oct. 11.

The ceremonies marked the beginning of a yearlong mobilization to Texas in support of U.S. Border Patrol. 

U.S. Army soldiers in both companies have spent 12 months preparing for the deployment. 

The Headquarters and Headquarters Company will provide mission command for an Army task force operating in the region, led by Army Lt. Col. Kevin O'Reilly, battalion commander. 

Speaking to the soldiers and their families, O'Reilly said the Binghamton-based National Guard units have a history of service dating to the Civil War. 

He connected this legacy of service to their mission in Texas to support national security efforts along the border. 

"This is a long mission; stressors will come up on mission and at home," he said. "Look to your left and right. We are a team, and we are going to help each other."  

He also urged them to support each other as a team. "Don't internalize and think you are alone," he said. "I charge you to look out for each other. No matter what we face, we will overcome."  

They were deployed to the Texas-Mexico border after roughly 400 National Guard troops were deployed to the Rio Grande Valley in Texas after U.S. Coast Guard crew were fired on by cartel operatives earlier this month, The Center Square reported. 

More than 20,000 troops have been deployed to the southwest border after President Donald Trump declared an invasion at the southwest border on his first day in office. He also implemented a series of directives, including directing the U.S. military to secure U.S. borders. This included directing U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM) to oversee border security and strategic planning to implement territorial integrity and deploying federal personnel, including the National Guard, to take operational control of the southern border, The Center Square reported.

Trump declared an invasion after 55 Texas counties were the first and only ones to declare an invasion in the U.S., changing the national conversation, The Center Square exclusively reported. A majority of voters polled believe the U.S. was being invaded under the Biden administration. 

At the height of the border crisis, 24 governors sent National Guard troops and other resources to Texas to support Gov. Greg Abbott’s border security mission, Operation Lone Star, The Center Square reported. “While the federal government has abdicated its duties, Republican governors stand ready to protect the U.S.-Mexico border and keep families safe,” they said in a joint statement at the time. “Texas Governor Greg Abbott has exemplified leadership at a critical time, leading the way with Operation Lone Star, and deploying the Texas Tactical Border Force to prevent illegal crossings and keep the border secure.”

At the same time, the Biden administration sued Texas to thwart border security efforts, losing nearly all cases, The Center Square reported.

Through the Trump administration’s Operation Ardent Vanguard, NORTHCOM is supporting border security efforts being implemented by the U.S.  Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. This includes “border defense, detection, monitoring and infrastructure support,” the DOW said. The Forward Support Company is providing logistics support, including maintenance, fuel transportation, supplies and materials to the 204th Engineer Battalion.