Texas National Guard Firing Pepper Spray Projectiles at Migrants

The Texas National Guard has repeatedly fired pepper spray projectiles at arriving migrants, Human Rights Watch said today. It claims that the Texas legislature should deny additional funds for the Texas Military Department, which oversees the Texas National Guard.

In several incidents, Texas National Guard members fired pepper spray projectiles—often shaped like a ball, containing pepper irritants, and fired from a launching gun—on arriving migrants not engaged in threatening acts, including women and children. The National Guard is at the border as part of Operation Lone Star, Texas’ border policing program.

“In separate incidents this summer, witnesses saw Texas National Guard members firing pepper spray projectiles at migrants who posed no risk to national guard members or anyone else,” said Bob Libal, Texas consultant at Human Rights Watch. “The Texas legislature should respond by increasing its oversight over the Texas Military Department and denying funding increases to the department until these abuses stop.”

KJ