MIDLAND, Texas (Nexstar) — Gov. Greg Abbott was in Midland Thursday to host a roundtable discussion with local law enforcement about the southern border and its impact on local communities throughout Texas. 

Joining the Governor was Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steven McCraw, Midland County Judge Terry Johnson and law enforcement representatives from Upton, Midland, Ector, Tom Green, Dawson, Martin, Howard and Andrews counties. 

“We are now deploying more than 7,500 patrol officers, whether it be DPS or National Guard members, to the border where we are providing more manpower than ever before to secure our border,” Abbott said.

Abbott also discussed preparations for a caravan of migrants that is may be moving toward the U.S. border.

“They are laying down razor wire to prevent people from coming across the border. They are putting down these massive containers that you see on container ships or 18-wheelers to create a blockade stopping people from coming across the border,” Abbott said. “They are using every tool and strategy they possibly can to ensure that Texas is not going to be a crossing place for those coming across the border.”

Abbott also provided an update on the construction of the border wall.

“The funding is there. All of the paperwork has been completed and we expect construction to begin very soon,” Abbott said. “We expect some of the border wall to be up before the end of this calendar year.”

Watch the full press conference from Wednesday’s full roundtable below: