(NewsNation) — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott called for stronger measures to protect the southern border Friday, introducing a series of bills in the Texas legislature that would increase punishment for human smugglers.

Abbott called for new laws to protect the border, including efforts by the Texas legislature to make it a felony to cross into Texas illegally.

There is also an effort to make it a felony to operate a “stash house,” where migrants who cross illegally stay.

A third law would create a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in jail for anyone caught smuggling people across the border in Texas.

Abbott also announced he is expecting additional troops from Florida and Idaho to arrive in the coming days to help boost efforts to patrol the border.

Migrant encounters have dropped since the expiration of Title 42, a policy that allowed agents to turn people away at the border, effectively suspending the legal right to seek asylum. It has been replaced by Title 8, which does not allow agents to automatically turn migrants away.

Under Title 8, however, those who are not found to meet the standards for asylum are subject to official removal procedures, which come with a five-year ban on reentry with the potential for criminal prosecution.

While encounters have dropped, human smugglers continue to smuggle people across the border. When asked if the bills before the legislature could be considered discriminatory, Abbott replied Texas has the right to secure its border.