Texas Gov. Abbott offers Trump state resources to secure the border during White House visit
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott offered President Donald Trump a number of state facilities to help his administration secure the border.
The governor met with the president in the Oval Office Wednesday afternoon and called this a "very productive day." After his meeting, Abbott spoke with reporters outside the White House.
"Texas has completed more than 50 miles of border wall," Abbott said. "We're going to be adding another 20 miles of border wall here in the coming days. It's under construction right now, and we've acquired more than 100 miles of easement. I let the President know that all of that is available for the United States of America."
The state of Texas offered other facilities to the Trump administration.
"Texas has two military bases that can house 2,000 soldiers in one base, 400 soldiers in another base. I made sure the President knows that was available to him," Abbott said. "I let the President know that we have identified 4,000 jail cells in the State of Texas that can be used as detention facilities."
No word if the Trump administration will accept the governor's offers just yet.
Earlier this week, the governor signed an agreement with the Trump administration that for the first time, grants the 5,000 members of the Texas National Guard at the southern border the authority to arrest migrants. Abbott told CBS News Texas earlier this week that he accepted that offer immediately because it would help secure the border even more.
Abbott said he will be returning to Washington next week to make his case with members of Congress to reimburse Texas for the $11 billion the state has spent for its efforts to secure the border. The governor said the president supports his request as do Republicans in the Texas Congressional delegation.
"He [Mr. Trump] understands that in part, this is in a way, a real estate transaction because Texas can transfer to the United States of America value of well over $5 or $6 billion of real assets on the ground that Texas put in place, that will continue to secure the United States for decades to come," Abbott said.
Watch Eye On Politics on CBS News Texas at 7:30 Sunday morning on air and streaming
