DRIPPING SPRINGS, Texas — Communities at the Texas-Mexico border are preparing for the "Take Our Border Back" convoy's arrival. This week, the convoy started in Virginia Beach, Virginia, before crossing into Texas on Thursday.
Members of the convoy say their goal is to shed light on the number of migrants crossing into the U.S. illegally through Texas.
On Thursday night, the convoy gathered at One Shot Distillery & Brewery in Dripping Springs. The rally included music and appearances by conservative figures like Ted Nugent and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.
"For you all to be standing up and saying, 'You know what? Enough is enough. We're not going to take it anymore. We're going to take our country back.' Texas, you're the epicenter of this. Thank you so much for being the activists," Palin said at the event. "For being the hardworking, independent, patriotic Americans that you are."
Others at the rally mentioned their "God-given right" to protect their country.
When the rally was over, the convoy made its way through Dripping Springs, receiving honks of support and opposition.
There are no specific details about what the convoy will do when it reaches the border.
The same day the convoy made its way through Dripping Springs, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced that Florida is sending 1,000 members of its National Guard to the border for Texas to deploy as necessary.
Gov. Greg Abbott also announced that he and 14 other Republican governors will head to the border this weekend. On Sunday, Abbott and the other governors will hold a press conference at Shelby Park, the city park that the State has taken over in Eagle Pass.
The park is a common place for people to cross the Rio Grande River from Mexico. The Biden administration has criticized the State takeover, saying it is preventing federal Border Patrol agents from being able to access the border and do their jobs.