Ohio Becomes Latest State to Send Troops to Aid at Border
Ohio Republican Gov. Mike DeWine announced on Friday that he has approved a request to send National Guard members to the nation’s southern border, making it the sixth state to do so.
“The requested 185 members of the Ohio Army National Guard will be deployed to provide non-law enforcement support to the United States Custom and Border Protection (CBP) at the SWB,” the governor’s office said in a statement.
“The Ohio National Guard Soldiers will join the estimated 3,000 Guard personnel requested from other states to support the SWB mission,” it added.
I have approved a request from the @DHSgov and the @USNationalGuard to activate additional members of the @OHNationalGuard in support of the Southwest Border mission. 185 members of the Ohio Army National Guard will be deployed to provide non-law enforcement support. pic.twitter.com/TdFpxgIFfm
— Governor Mike DeWine (@GovMikeDeWine) July 2, 2021
Ohio joined Florida, Nebraska, South Dakota, Iowa and Arkansas in sending assistance in response to Republican Govs. Greg Abbott of Texas and Doug Ducey of Arizona in June.
All six states to respond are led by Republican governors.
Including Arizona and Texas, GOP-led states joining in the effort now include eight of the nation’s 23 states governed by Republicans.
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem said, “The border is a national security crisis that requires the kind of sustained response only the National Guard can provide.”
She added, “We should not be making our own communities less safe by sending our police or Highway Patrol to fix a long-term problem President Biden’s administration seems unable or unwilling to solve.”
Some states are sending law enforcement rather than National Guard personnel. Nebraska is sending two dozen state troopers to Texas.
Gov. Pete Ricketts said, “While the federal government has fallen short in its response, Nebraska is happy to step up to provide assistance to Texas as they work to protect their communities and keep people safe.”
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced on June 25 the state would be sending 50 police officers to Texas to help with the ongoing migrant crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border.
“When the Governors of Texas and Arizona reached out for help, Florida answered the call,” DeSantis in a news release.
“We are witnessing a catastrophe at the southern border under the Biden Administration.”
“In recent months, we have seen people from the terrorist watch list, known sex offenders and a flood of fentanyl cross over the border,” DeSantis said.
“This is a national security crisis, and we must get it under control.”
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