By Karen Gleason
The 830 Times
BRACKETTVILLE – The militia has arrived in Kinney County.
“We’ve come down here from north Texas to help this county,” Sam Hall, president and founder of Patriots for America Militia, announced during a special meeting of Kinney County Commissioners Court here Monday afternoon.
Kinney County Judge Tully Shahan recognized Hall, who said he has spoken with Kinney County Sheriff Brad Coe and Kinney County residents.
Hall said his organization primarily worked to rescue children from sex traffickers, but told the court its priority in Kinney County is “community defense.”
“I’ve been out on (Highway 277), and we were out the other night on Pinto Creek and Sycamore, and what we’ve seen is an invasion of this county. What we’ve seen are residents that are scared to death right now, and they don’t feel like they have support from the state,” Hall said.
Hall added he is aware that members of the Texas National Guard have been deployed in neighboring Maverick and Val Verde Counties.
“But (the state) didn’t send National Guard here, and you’re not any less important than those counties. Your families mean just as much, and we all know – we all know – why the National Guard wasn’t sent here, because they don’t have enough voters in this county to make a difference in that election. It’s political, and they know it. Who’s being sacrificed on that altar? It’s you and your families,” Hall told the court and members of the audience.
“The residents in this county need help. They need help desperately. They have bent over backwards for us, opening their homes so we could take showers. We didn’t shower for four days, judge, because we’re trying to make a difference for you, for this county, for these residents and these citizens,” he added.
Hall said a woman who allowed members of his militia to shower in her home doesn’t live in it anymore “because she was scared to death.”
“I can’t imagine my wife not being able to stay in her own home because there wasn’t enough resources to make sure she’s safe,” Hall said.
Hall said he was pulled over by a Texas Department of Public Safety trooper and when he spoke to the officer, he learned “the only reason they’re going to take them (immigrants) is if they have guns or drugs, otherwise they can’t take them.”
“Val Verde County won’t take them. We don’t have enough facilities in this county to take them, so what does that do? It’s not just a wide-open border, judge, it’s an invasion, and these citizens are suffering,” Hall said.
Hall referred to an action by the court earlier in the meeting, in which the court voted to allow the sheriff to add 10 reserve deputies to his office.
“I think that’s a good number to start with, but a militia, by constitutional law, can be here, to protect these citizens,” Hall said, adding the members of his group have left their jobs and their families to make the trip to the border.
“We’ve lost our incomes to come down here to protect this county when nobody else is doing it, and we’re going to stay. And not only are we going to stay, we’re going to bring more men in, but the right men, judge. We’re going to bring the right quality men in, that realize the political atmosphere, that realize exactly what’s at stake, and we’re going to protect each and every one of these citizens, because the governor isn’t going to do it,” Hall said.
He decried the placement of National Guard troops to the neighboring counties as “smoke and mirrors.”
“It’s a political move. But they’re not going to be able to protect like you think they (are) . . . But if they’re not going to send people to protect you, then by God, Texans are going to step up and they’re going to get here, and they’re going to protect you and your families because you’re no less valuable than anybody in Maverick or anybody in Val Verde counties,” he added.
Hall promised, “We’re the first militia to arrive, but we won’t be the last. We have more people coming that are driving from Georgia, Louisiana, north Texas and are willing to make a difference.”
Hall said he needed “solutions to problems” from Shahan and the other members of commissioners court.
“There’s no reason that Americans, that Texans, should be sacrificed on the altar of political gain or political votes or political anything that’s going to put your family at risk. Your children mean more. You mean more. We’re going to make sure that this county is protected. Judge, we’re going to make sure that we’re not leaving as a militia until we know that this county’s safe,” Hall said.
“We’re not going to abandon these citizens or this county. This is a powder keg waiting to explode, and it’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when,” Hall added.
Hall derided Texas Gov. Greg Abbott as “that RINO (Republican In Name Only) in Austin,” adding, “If he’s not going to take care of you, then by God, Texans are going to take care of Texans.”
Hall said he expected no financial assistance from the county.
After Hall finished his talk, Shahan asked if he had spoken with the sheriff, and Hall indicated he had.
“Well, I suggest that all of us get together, the heads of the departments, the sheriff, yourself, myself, the county attorney, and if we need to get any of the commissioners, we can, and we need to sit down and visit and go through the right protocol. We really, really appreciate your offer. Glad you came. You’re preaching to the choir, and we appreciate you coming, and we appreciate you being here, and we’ll take your help, but we want to do it the right way,” Shahan said.
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