With the end of Title 42, 14 Republican governors have pledged to send an estimated 1,300 National Guardsmen to Texas in response to state Gov. Greg Abbott’s request for aid at the southern border.
Abbott sent his request after the Biden administration ended Title 42 on May 11, 2023. According to the Hill, the Trump administration enacted the policy as part of the federal government’s response to COVID to prevent sick migrants from crossing the border. (READ MORE: The National Guard’s Degrading ‘Logistical Mess’)
Today, I sent a letter to my fellow Governors urging them to join Texas’ efforts to combat President Biden’s border crisis.
In the federal government’s absence, we must band together to ensure the safety and security Americans deserve.
More: https://t.co/JlyngUuaZx pic.twitter.com/mSzhzfRwaJ
— Gov. Greg Abbott (@GovAbbott) May 16, 2023
Abbott’s letters are part of a greater movement to secure the Texas border, one otherwise known as Operation Lone Star. According to the letter, besides apprehending over 370,000 migrants at the border, Abbott claims to have cracked down on drugs, such as fentanyl.
“Operation Lone Star has … seized more than 416 million lethal doses of fentanyl that would have otherwise spread into communities across the nation,” Abbott wrote in his letters. “That’s enough deadly fentanyl to kill every man, woman, and child in the United States.”
In response to the press release, the Washington Examiner reported that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis deployed 800 National Guardsmen to the Texas border, the largest deployment of all the governors.
“Operation Lone Star is underway with Florida deploying law enforcement officers and special agents to protect the Southern Border in Texas,” DeSantis tweeted. “When the federal government refuses to step up — Florida stands ready to serve.”
Other governors, such as Kristi Noem of South Dakota, have pledged anywhere from 50–100 guardsmen as part of their effort to help secure the southern border.
“All states have suffered from the effects of human trafficking & illegal drugs coming across the border,” Noem tweeted. “GOP Governors are leading the way to address the border crisis by enhancing penalties for fentanyl crimes & human trafficking while increasing support for law enforcement.”
Elizabeth Crawford is a rising senior at Hillsdale College studying politics. A member of The American Spectator’s 2023 intern class, Elizabeth enjoys drinking good tea and plans to pursue a career in journalism.
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