AUSTIN, TX – The Texas Army National Guard said Monday that up to 1,000 troops could be dispatched to several large cities across Texas ahead of the upcoming election on Nov. 3.
A spokesperson for the Guard said the deployment is not related to the election and noted that troops would not be stationed at any polling locations. The spokesperson went on to say the move was a "continuation of peacekeeping efforts" that originally began during several anti-police brutality protests over the summer.
“The Texas Military Department was activated to provide additional support to the Department of Public Safety in the summer of 2020,” said Maj. Gen. Tracy R. Norris, the adjutant general of Texas in a statement.
“Texas Service Members continue to support [the Texas Department of Public Safety] in this capacity, guarding historical landmarks such as the Alamo and the State Capitol.”
Troops could possibly be sent to five major cities in Texas including; Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin and San Antonio, according to San Antonio Express News, the agency who first reported on the move. Reports indicate that National Guard members could arrive to these cities as soon as this weekend.
Previously, Gov. Greg Abbott activated the National Guard in late May following a series of protests and demonstrations that erupted across Texas in response to the death of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officers.
During a burial service for Floyd this summer near Houston, Houston PD asked other agencies for assistance in what they thought might be a massive demonstration between protesters and counter-protesters. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection planned a massive presence, including the addition of 66 paramilitary agents from CBP’s Border Patrol Tactical Unit.
At this time Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner has not been contacted by either Gov. Abbott or the National Guard about the deployment, a spokesperson told The Texas Tribune on Tuesday. When contacted Gov. Abbott’s office did not immediately respond to any requests for further comment.
Reports from Dallas state that Mayor Eric Johnson was also not informed of the Guards deployment to his city.
Lately law enforcement agencies across the state have been preparing for anticipated demonstrations and other social unrest on election night. Police departments in Austin, El Paso, San Antonio and Fort Worth have also previously stated that officers were expecting and planning for a multitude of demonstrations across the state.
Additionally, the FBI’s field office in Dallas has warned of the possibility that far-right extremists could potentially pose a violent threat in North Texas around election night.
At this time federal agents within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement have been put on standby in further preparation for the election. It has also been reported that multiple Customs and Border Protection units have been regularly training their personnel for social unrest demonstrations.
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