Perry to Obama: Dire threat at border

AUSTIN (KXAN) - The meet-and-greet lasted less than a minute.

“Welcome to Texas. I’m sorry it’s so hot, Sir,' and he said, 'It’s hot everywhere,'” recalled Gov. Rick Perry just hours after he met, albeit briefly, with President Barack Obama.

Besides exchanging pleasantries, the governor also gave a letter to the President.

 "I sincerely hope he will take the time to read it," said Perry.

In the four-page letter , Perry used recent reports of violence along the Texas-Mexico border to reiterate the Lone Star state's needs when it comes to border security.

"I urge you to reconsider the current deployment numbers and approve our requests for greater resources...The federal government must step up and finally do what is needed. I respectfully but urgently request quick deployment of 1,000 troops to the Texas-Mexico Border," Perry wrote in the letter.

After a half-hour speech that coincided with Obama's speech on education at the University of Texas, Perry said, “You cannot have any type of legitimate conversation about immigration reform until the border is secure.”

According to Perry, President Obama has an open invitation to visit the Texas-Mexico border to see what it's like and meet the women and men who patrol the border. 

To read the entire letter click here .