Lawmakers: Is beefed-up border security worth it?

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Democratic state lawmakers questioned Tuesday what Texas will gain by committing more than $4 million a week to pump up border security amid a surge of immigrant children illegally crossing into the U.S., since all sides agree the minors pose little criminal or national security threat.

Republican Gov. Rick Perry has announced the deployment of 1,000 National Guard troops to the Texas-Mexico border at a cost of around $3 million a week, saying that federal authorities have been overwhelmed and crime has spiked. He and other top Republicans, meanwhile, have also since last month authorized spending $1.3 million more weekly on increasing police presence on the border.