Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R-VA) announced on Wednesday the deployment of National Guard troops to the southern border.
According to the governor, he is sending 100 troops to assist with Texas's Operation Lone Star. The troops will assist with securing the border as well as reducing the flow of fentanyl into the United States in the wake of Title 42's end earlier this month.
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“The ongoing border crisis facing our nation has turned every state into a border state,” Youngkin said. “As leadership solutions at the federal level fall short, states are answering the call to secure our southern border, reduce the flow of fentanyl, combat human trafficking, and address the humanitarian crisis."
"Following a briefing from Gov. Abbott last week, Virginia is joining other states to deliver on his request for additional assistance. Given the intensive resource demands on Texas, the dangers posed by the fentanyl crisis, and impact of the border crisis on criminal activity to the Commonwealth, Virginia will do its part to assist the state of Texas’s efforts with the coordinated deployment of Virginia National Guard soldiers to assist in key aspects of their mission," he explained.
Youngkin and eight other Republican governors participated in a meeting with Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX) last week. In attendance were Govs. Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R-AR), Brad Little (R-ID), Kim Reynolds (R-IA), Tate Reeves (R-MS), Jim Pillen (R-NE), Kevin Stitt (R-OK), Henry McMaster (R-SC), and Bill Lee (R-TN).
Tennessee, Nebraska, Iowa, Idaho, Florida, and Mississippi have already announced the deployment of either National Guard troops or law enforcement to the border to assist.
While the number of encounters with immigrants by the Border Patrol has dropped off by about 55% since the end of Title 42, the rate of "got-aways" has increased. According to a Washington Examiner analysis, nearly one person evaded the Border Patrol for every 2 1/2 that were intercepted following the policy's end.
Prior to Title 42's end, about one person avoided being caught by the Border Patrol for every 4 that were stopped.
According to a press release last week from Abbott's office, "Since the launch of Operation Lone Star, the multi-agency effort has led to over 377,000 illegal immigrant apprehensions and more than 28,000 criminal arrests, with more than 26,000 felony charges reported."
The governor also noted that "Texas law enforcement has seized over 417 million lethal doses of fentanyl during this border mission."
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Ahead of Title 42's end, President Joe Biden mobilized 1,500 active-duty troops to the southern border. However, the troops are only deployed for 90 days. They "will fill critical capability gaps, such as ground-based detection and monitoring, data entry, and warehouse support, until CBP can address these needs through contracted support," according to a statement from Pentagon press secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder.
The troops will not be involved in law enforcement activities.