Texas is getting its own navy.
Next month, the state's Department of Public Safety will deploy the first of a fleet of six gunboats on the Rio Grande, the river that forms the border between the state and Mexico, CNN affiliate WFAA-TV reports.
The 34-foot-long boats, each powered by three, 300-horsepower outboard engines, will have bulletproof plating and six machine guns apiece, not unlike the river patrol boats the U.S. Navy used during the Vietnam War.
The vessels will be able to operate in as little as 2 feet of water, according to the report, and will work with U.S. Customs and Border Protection to combat drug smuggling coming across the Rio Grande.
"They're finding out when those people are coming across, and one of the things they need to be able to do is interdict them on the water," Texas state Rep. Paul Workman told CNN affiliate KVUE-TV when the first of the boats, the JD Davis, was christened in December.
"If you're trying to suppress organized smuggling activity, there's no substitute for putting people on the ground," Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steven C. McCraw said at the December ceremony. "The way they're operating right now, you need them on the water as well."
"It sends a message: Don't mess with Texas," Jose Rodriguez, a regional commander of the Texas Department of Safety, told WFAA.
The six boats will be named after Texas state troopers killed in the line of duty. The first was named after Jerry Don Davis, who was shot and killed in 1980. Another, to be commissioned Thursday in Austin, will be named in honor of trooper David Irvine Rucker, who was killed in 1981, according to The Brownsville Herald.
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I find it funny that the people opposed never lived in a border town. This I think can be a good thing. A little known fact is that Mexicans are NOT the only nationality trying to cross over the American / Mexico border. They have caught many middle eastern people doing the same thing which in my opinion is a credible threat to national security. While Washington is doing very little to confront this threat, Texas is taking a proactive stance to prevent further loss of life in border towns which by the way are flooded with violence from cartels by employing DPS to maintain safety and security.
The drug war by in large is a losing war, but have anyone of you had to treat a patient with excited delirium due to PCP overdose?
Is that the SS RICK PERRY?
I think these are great, but Border Patrol men have been put in prison for firing at Drug cartels (remember?)
I don't under stand why we are not in a full blown war against Mexico. WWI and WWII were started over one person getting killed from someone from another country.
The money they spent on these boats they could have put up a CEMENT wall with razor wire like the wall of Berlin, with guards. We still need to do that!
Wow, I actually feel dumber for reading this. By the way, idi0t, WW2 was not started by someone getting killed, and WW1 began because an Arch duke was killed (not some rancher), though it was really about colonialism. Also, in case you haven't heard, Mexico is currently fighting its own war, if anything, we should be helping them. What a dumb redneck. I pity you.
Gale....Don't forget your Adderall next time!
Ray, We are not letting the wetbacks in. It is your liberal leaders in the federal government fighting us at every turn in our efforts to protct our state. You damn Yankees don't have a clue. And no, we ain't scared. We Texas citizens are trying to obey the law ourselves but we are getting tired of the wetbacks and there will soon be a day of reconning.
Do you call this "navy"? Ridiculous. I hope Arpaio goes to jail. Oh, wait...he's from AZ, not TX.
Hi, I'm in high school (in Texas) and i was just wondering why can we fund mini battle ships to "protct our state" and our "livelihoods", but we can not fund schools and the subsequent activities related tot them to better our citizens, our future workers, our future leaders?
According to my recent property tax bill, it appears "WE" (I no longer have kids in school) pay plenty to educate you vacuumheads. As I recall, you can lead a horse to water, but you can't maake him drink.. BTW I have two of four with degrees and they worked, borrowed money, and we helped. You might want to have a talk with Mom and Dad ( even in highschool)
Gale, you are extremely un-informed. A state cannot erect a wall, but can patrol waters within the state and its coastal areas. And, just as Sleepyinsf has shown, you need to study your history.
Oh yeah, like nobody will be able to see these big new expensive toys for boys coming down the river from miles away. The illegals will simply hide in the bushes until they go by, and we'll be regularly replacing these things and the men in them as they become sitting ducks for the drug cartels.
Are you referring to the bushes that are sitting all over the lake? Geez . . . .
Great they put gun boats there.. do we get Helicopters for the Canadian Boarder?
Expensive,wasteful and inneficient testicular gestures likie this will not stop the flow of illegal immigrants. Tough vigouraously enforced sanction including prison time for people who employ illegals will but taht would involve
Shooting at them would help.
Our forefathers and mothers came to this country because they were seeking a better life for themselves. Who are we to now tell someone else that they can't do the same thing? That's a bit arrogant on our part, dont'cha think? As long as they aren't smuggling anything illegal into the country, I don't see why we would want to stop them. Your tax dollars aren't going to feed them or house them.
I'm Caucasian, but I'm proud to call several Mexicans living in this country my friends. Some are here legally, and some maybe not so much, but you will NEVER find a group of people that work harder, for so little money. They only come here to make a better life for their families. Their only crime, according to some of you people, was being born too far south.
letgoofmyears - My forefathers came over - legally and without killing someone or bringing drugs with them - and took time to learn English. I'm just the third generation to be born in the U.S. My girlfriend is the first generation to be born in the U.S.; her mom and grandparents learned English. If someone wants to come over legally, we have bridges across the river. If they want to sneak in by other means, they are breaking the law and are therefore criminals.
We get to make the rules because it is OUR country. If we want to admit no one or everyone it is OUR decision. Try entering Mecico illegally and taking a job THERE and see how sympathetic THEY are.
And we will not starve. If we need farm workers we can authorize their LEGAL entry. Most of the illegals here are not doing farm work. If they were they would be going home in the winter.
Great. Give these rednecks boats with guns on them. Let the body count begin. I'm sure there's a beer cooler on board as well.
Awesome. Stay out of our state. We'll protect the border for you and shield you from the reality of life.
Since when is the Rio Grande a HIGHWAY???
Close our borders and deport all illegals. Let their country take care of them.
Close our borders. Deport all illegals. Let their country take care of them.
these boats are way to big for the river for one.....theyre gonna get stuck in the shallow areas unless theyre closer to falcon dam. 2. why did they add mud tires to the trailer?
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