(NewsNation) — Texas has graduated its first mounted border unit in an attempt to further secure the southern border.
Texas Department of Safety agents and their horses have all undergone weeks of specialized training and will be stationed in the Rio Grande Valley Sector.
Recently, the horses were key in stopping a group of migrants from illegally crossing the border. They were all taken into custody.
According to Texas DPS Director Steve McCraw, the launch of the border mounted unit represents an unwavering commitment to enhancing border security by utilizing unique and adaptive strategies to disrupt smugglers on the Mexican side of the border.
Texas DPS officials tell NewsNation the unit will enhance border security efforts by supplementing ground troops and leveraging the horses’ unique capabilities to capture those evading authorities, especially in changing terrain.
There will be three separate horse patrol teams, all of which are comprised of seasoned troopers with a strong foundation in horseback riding. Texas troopers undertook an intensive six-week training program, four weeks of which were with the Customs and Border Patrol national horse program.
After graduation, the teams now have a two-week break prior to hitting the trail again in early December. The units will be located in Carizzo Springs, Del Rio and Eagle Pass.
