DHS lessens resources for aerial security

Governor Greg Abbot and Congressman Henry Cuellar are asking for a reason why the U.S.Department of Homeland Security cut border aerial detection resources in half.

Governor Greg Abbott and Congressman Henry Cuellar wrote a letter to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Charles Johnson asking for the reasoning behind the decision.

DHS requested 3,850 hours of ariel detection, situational awareness and monitoring capability support for operation phalanx from the Department of Defense during the 2016 calendar year.

Abbot and Cuellar say that's 50 percent less resources than recent years.

In the letter officials say due to the recent surge of migrants from Central America and Cuba security resources should be increased, not cut.

Now Abbott and Cuellar are requesting the data DHS used to determine the 50 percent reduction in ariel resources.

"They are doing their job we just want to provide them support. the way it works is very simple, a helicopter, an airplane flys over and if they see something they relay it to Border Patrol. And after that they can go after any suspicious activity", said Cuellar.

Cuellar says they are also requesting detail plans on how the cuts will impact staffing, resource allocation and operational levels in Laredo, the Rio Grande Valley and Tucson.

Cuellar says they have provided the appropriation so funding shouldn't be an issue.

Cuellar says since 2005, Texas has contributed nearly one point seven billion dollars in state funds for border security.