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Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin on Wednesday announced that the state is sending National Guard troops to the southern border in order to aid Texas with the ongoing crisis at its border with Mexico -- becoming the latest in a number of GOP-led states to send resources and troops.
"The ongoing border crisis facing our nation has turned every state into a border state," said Governor Glenn Youngkin said in a statement. "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."
Youngkin said the deployment of 100 troops came after a briefing from Texas Gov. Greg Abbott -- who has requested help from other states in dealing with the historic migrant crisis now into its third year.
There were more than 1.7 million migrant encounters in FY 2021, and more than 2.3 million in FY22. There have so far been over 1.4 million migrant encounters in FY 23 recorded until the end of April, with five months still left of the fiscal year.
GOP-LED STATES STEP UP WITH TROOPS, LAW ENFORCEMENT TO HELP TEXAS TACKLE BORDER WOES
Migrants wait in line adjacent to the border fence under the watch of the Texas National Guard to enter into El Paso, Texas, Wednesday, May 10, 2023. (AP Photo/Andres Leighton, File)
Numbers surged ahead of the ending of Title 42 earlier this month, and there were widespread concerns that the termination of the order -- which allowed for the rapid expulsion of migrants at the border due to COVID-19 -- would see an even bigger surge following. However, numbers have so far decreased sharply since the order.
In a statement, Youngkin mentioned also the concerns surrounding the flow of fentanyl into the U.S. across the land border. The drug, which is responsible for the deaths of tens of thousands of Americans each year, is primarily made in Mexico using Chinese precursors. Youngkin’s office said that an average of five Virginians die each day from the illicit narcotic.
"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’ efforts with the coordinated deployment of Virginia National Guard soldiers to assist in key aspects of their mission," Youngkin said.
MISSISSIPPI GOV TATE REEVES SENDS NATIONAL GUARD TO US-MEXICO BORDER
The announcement follows similar announcements last weeks from Tennessee and Nebraska, Mississippi and Florida in announcing deployments.
Tennessee announced a deployment of 100 National Guard members, while Nebraska announced the deployment of 10 state troopers.
Florida, announced the availability of more than 1,100 assets and resources, including 101 Highway Patrol personnel, 200 Department of Law Enforcement officers, 800 National Guard soldiers, emergency management personnel, 17 unmanned drones and 10 vessels, including airboats.
The Biden administration has been cautious about such efforts, with officials recently suggesting that the move by Florida was politically motivated.
"Outstanding coordination is taking place at the local level each and every day. We have seen, however, at times that Gov. DeSantis and [Texas Gov. Greg Abbott] take actions that are being done really for purely political reasons and that do not involve the kind of coordination that we really need to see at the border," Department of Homeland Security official Blas Nunez-Neto told reporters earlier this month.
"We are confident in our men and women on the front lines, ability to conduct their border operations in a safe, humane and secure manner. And we again call on the governors to make sure that any steps they take are done in coordination with our federal personnel," he said.
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