ROMA, Texas — The U.S. Army is showing reporters a much quieter stretch of the Rio Grande as it moves hundreds more soldiers to the Rio Grande Valley, the Associated Press reported via KTAR News.
“At any given time, there would be multiple rafts full of people trying to get to this side,” Army Lt. Col. Ray Richards said of a former crossing hot spot in Roma, Texas.
The troops are being shifted from among the thousands already serving along the 2,000-mile southern border. Officials said the surge follows signs of increased cartel activity and has come with more cooperation from Mexico’s military.
The U.S. Coast Guard said it recently came under gunfire from the Mexican side of the river and fired back, according to the AP.
Some experts questioned the need for such a large military presence weeks before the midterm elections. Border security remains one of Trump’s better issues in polls, with about half of Americans approving.
Sources: Associated Press via KTAR News. Thee Arizona Times uses AI-assisted reporting reviewed against the sources listed.
Photo: U.S. Customs and Border Protection / Public domain via Wikimedia Commons.
