AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The state’s Republican leadership has authorized the Texas Department of Public Safety to spend about $1.3 million per week to fund operations to fight what they describe as a surge of illegal immigration along the Texas-Mexico border, the GOP leaders announced Wednesday evening.

Gov. Rick Perry, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and House Speaker Joe Straus said in a joint statement that spending on the “law enforcement surge operations” comes as the result of “the absence of adequate resources to secure the border.” The surge would continue until year’s end.