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Abbott meets with South Texas sheriffs for roundtable discussion on border security

Abbott met with 19 border county sheriffs in Corpus Christi Thursday. Among the topics discussed, the deadly drug fentanyl and its impact on the coastal bend.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Governor Greg Abbott was in Corpus Christi Thursday afternoon to talk about border security.

Abbott met with 19 border county sheriffs, including Nueces County Sheriff J.C. Hooper. According to Hooper, Abbott has provided the "only help to local counties to try to improve border security."

"They'll be there to show support for what Governor Abbott has accomplished when it comes to dealing with the situation that's going on 150 miles from here down on the border," he said. "So we're appreciative of him picking up that responsibility from the federal government that has dropped the ball on that big time."

Abbott also spoke on the increased presence of fentanyl in the Coastal Bend.

"Just Texas DPS alone, has seized enough fentanyl to kill every man woman and child in America," Abbott said.

3NEWS reported earlier this week about the deadly impact fentanyl is having on the Coastal Bend this week. A recent report from the Nueces County Medical Examiners Office showed a dramatic increase in deaths. The numbers go from on three deaths in 2019 to 31 just last year.

"It's hitting us right between the eyes," Hooper said. "It's hitting home with young people we don't see an end in sight, something has to be done at that border."

Hooper adds that the increase of fentanyl has been seen in Nueces County and even inside his own jail.

"Most recent death inside my jail, and now we are seeing fentanyl inside the jail and its coming in as easy liquefied fentanyl on paper," Hooper said. "It's extremely difficult to detect, now we are spending money on technology on that issue."

Border security has been at the forefront of the governor's re-election theme as he continues to bus migrants to places like Washington DC.

Recently, he classified drug cartels as terrorists.  This as the governor pushes to make it law to charge someone with murder if they knowingly provide fentanyl laced drugs that lead to someone's death.

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