Congressmen Henry Cuellar (TX-28) and Michael McCaul (TX-10) have announced that the Administration has extended the temporary deployment of National Guard personnel along the Southwest border through December 31, 2011.

Since their arrival at the end of last summer, thousands of National Guard Soldiers and Airmen have served alongside U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers and Border Patrol agents to secure the border. Their efforts and assistance to CBP have not only yielded the seizure of thousands of pounds of drugs, but they have also strengthened the multi-layered approach to combat the smuggling of persons, illegal narcotics, and dangerous weapons along our border. The Department of Defense will cover the cost of the deployment.

“This extension of deployment for the National Guard comes at an important time as we work together to secure the Southwest border through an increase in resources by the federal government, which provides support to law enforcement agencies on the border. We must continue our diligent efforts in ensuring the communities and cities on the U.S.-Mexico border are safe. I welcome the extension of the National Guard troops as a necessary step in continued efforts to strengthen the security of our border withMexico,” said Congressman Henry Cuellar.

“This is a necessary step but we still need a long term commitment to a comprehensive strategy to secure the border. The National Guard troops are a temporary fix until we deploy more Border Patrol agents and integrate the manpower with technology,” said Congressman Michael McCaul.