A Texas National Guardsman was arrested on Sunday for allegedly smuggling an illegal immigrant across the southern border, with dashcam footage obtained by Fox News showing the moment he was apprehended—jjust as Gov. Greg Abbott’s office declared the man a “traitor and criminal” if the charges are proven.
The Texas Department of Public Safety confirmed that Savion Johnson was detained in Brackettville, Texas, on accusations of evading arrest, smuggling, and unauthorized carry of a weapon, but stressed that the investigation was still ongoing.
Kinney County Sheriff Brad Coe stated that the apprehended guy is a member of the Texas National Guard. A source with the Texas National Guard confirmed that he is a Texas guardsman and that he was transporting the migrant in a government vehicle. NewsNation originally reported on the arrest.
Texas DPS law enforcement dragged Johnson from the vehicle during his arrest, according to dashcam footage from the Kinney County Sheriff’s Office. The migrant fled the automobile during the pursuit prior to his arrest.
‘Traitor And criminal’
Abbott’s office will not hold back in denouncing Johnson’s alleged acts if the charges prove true.
“If the allegations are true, the accused is a traitor and a criminal,” Abbott Press Secretary Andrew Mahaleris stated.
“We have zero tolerance for Texans who break laws that clearly contradict the mission we are working to achieve. The accused’s illegal smuggling may result in a mandatory minimum jail sentence of at least ten years, he stated. “He deserves more.”
Surge Of Resources
As part of Operation Lone Star, Abbott has increased resources and law enforcement on the southern border in response to what the state claims is a lack of leadership from the federal government. The tape surfaced on the same day that Texas faced off against the Department of Justice in oral arguments before a panel of the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals on its contentious anti-illegal immigration law.
The Biden administration’s lawsuit has halted the bill, approved in December, allowing local police to apprehend illegal immigrants. Texas said that the measure is necessary given the unprecedented number of migrants crossing the border.
“There’s always been people who cross the border,” Solicitor General Aaron Nielson said in court. “But earlier, we discussed hundreds of thousands. Now we’re talking about millions. Before, we discussed tens of thousands of unaccompanied youngsters. Now we’re talking about hundreds of thousands. Before, we discussed a few countries. Now, we converse about almost every country.”
The government believes Texas’ tactics, which include installing razor wire and buoys along the Rio Grande, impede federal immigration enforcement. The Supreme Court briefly allowed the Texas statute to take effect, but appeals court arguments on the case’s merits overturned it hours later.
