The Rio Grande Valley will get some extra protection along the Texas-Mexico border with the deployment of Blackhawk helicopters.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has made a decision to deploy two Blackhawk helicopters — the same ones used by the U.S. military — to the region, officials said.

U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, said the Blackhawk helicopters are expected to arrive today in Laredo and will be charged with patrolling the Rio Grande from Laredo to the Lower Rio Grande Valley.

Although the helicopters will not have weapons attached, the pilots will be armed and could shoot back if they come under fire, officials said.

“U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Office of Air and Marine is sending two UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters this week to South Texas following the small arms attack on our EC-120 helicopter crew (June 5),” according to a statement from the agency provided by Supervisory Public Affairs Specialist Bill Brooks.

“The Blackhawk is a larger, more capable platform that will support operations in the Laredo area. It can transport more agents than the EC-120 light surveillance helicopter to better support border enforcement. CBP continuously assesses the border environment and deploys its resources accordingly.”

Cuellar stressed that although he has long been against militarizing the Texas-Mexico border, it is a priority for the United States to protect its officers that patrol along the river.

“I understand the argument about militarization,” Cuellar said. “I don’t want to militarize the border, but we are using these helicopters for the armor so they can stop those types of bullets.”

Last week, a CBP helicopter was shot while it patrolled the Texas-Mexico border near Laredo . U.S. and Mexican authorities both responded investigated the incident.

“Our work has to continue. We can’t say, ‘Oh, they are going to shoot at us, and let’s stop bringing helicopters in surveillance any more.’ At the same time, we have to worry about the protection of our men and women,” Cuellar said.

The Blackhawk helicopters will have a thicker skin than helicopters currently used by CBP, which means it will be more difficult for bullets to penetrate the exterior.

“Those helicopters will have the armor that would have stopped or would stop the type of bullets that went through the helicopter in Laredo last Friday,” Cuellar said.

According to federal authorities, a CBP helicopter was patrolling near the Laredo-Mexico border June 5 when it was struck several times by gunfire. Although CBP officers were not injured, the rounds penetrated and damaged the helicopter. Authorities said a bulletproof vest on the floor probably prevented the pilot from being struck. He was forced to make an emergency landing, and the incident remains under investigation by the FBI.

Authorities are still trying to determine why shots were fired at the helicopter. Some national media reports have suggested the CBP helicopter was monitoring a drug load that was being crossed along the border when the shots were fired. Laredo authorities have said it’s believed the shots were fired from Mexico .

“Usually, the violence will stay on the other side, but in this case someone was brave enough or stupid enough to shoot at an American helicopter,” Cuellar said. “It’s unfortunate, but we have to use this type of helicopter for the armor protection. We will deal with the implications.”

According to a CBP fact sheet, the UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters are medium-range, all weather, rotary-wing tactical aircraft used by the Office of Air and Marine to protect the public from threats of terror and drug smuggling. The helicopters can travel at a maximum speed of 172 mph at a ceiling altitude of 20,000 feet.

U.S Rep. Filemon Vela, D-Brownsville, said that although U.S. authorities have deferred to the Mexican government to control violence in Matamoros and Tamaulipas, those efforts have failed.

“When Mexican bullets are aimed across the river at United States law enforcement, that changes the game,” Vela said. “We cannot stand for such activity, and I fully support Customs and Border Protection’s decision to send Blackhawk helicopters to protect our men and women in the field. I hope it is enough.”