AUSTIN, TX — Gov. Greg Abbott and a pair of lawmakers sent a letter to the Department of Homeland Security on Tuesday, asking for an assessment of the federal agency's aerial surveillance along the southern border in light of recent immigration surges.

Abbott was joined by GOP Sen. John Cornyn and Democratic Congressman Henry Cuellar in signing the letter to DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson, according to the governor's office. In the letter, they request additional information on the agency's aerial-based border security resources, Abbott explained.

In February, concerns were raised after DHS requested half the normal flight hours from the Department of Defense in support of Operation Phalanx, according to the governor's office. The lowered request for flight hours came despite a full appropriation of funds from Congress, Abbott noted, adding that DHS has not requested further flight hours to support the mission in 2017.

"Given the continuing surge of migrants along the southern border beyond FY15 numbers and a large uptick in apprehensions already for the month of November 2016, we believe DHS should be requesting more surveillance and security resources, not less," the three men wrote in the letter. "Given that Customs and Border Protection's (CBP) Office of Air and Marine is currently 12 percent below its goal for air interdiction agents this cut in DoD support is extremely imprudent."

The three politicians requested that DHS identify which resources are to be utilized perhaps to fill the flight gap resulting from the reduction of aerial resources use, Abbott said.

Earlier this month, Johnson called for creation of more detention centers to house migrants after an uptick in crossings. In October, a total of 46,195 individuals were apprehended between ports of entry along the southwest border — a jump from 39,501 in September and 37,048 in August, Johnson said.

Among those totals are increases in the numbers of unaccompanied children and families, as well as people presenting themselves at border points of entry seeking asylum, the Department of Homeland Security chief said.

Patch has reached out the DHS officials for a reaction to the letter, and will update this story pending a response.

>>> Image via WikiMedia Commons

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