ATLANTA — Gov. Brian Kemp is ordering Georgia National Guard troops to join the Texas Guard at that state’s border with Mexico because of the “crisis at the southern border.”
During a news conference Tuesday afternoon, Kemp said he made the decision after visiting the border earlier this month.
The Guardsmen are expected to be deployed in the spring and “will be comprised of those with engineering, mechanical, and general-purpose skills. While deployed, they will assist in the construction of a forward command post on the Texas border with Mexico,” the governor’s office said in a news release.
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“As I recently told Gov. Greg Abbott, Texas has Georgia’s support, and we stand ready to provide additional resources in the effort to keep Americans safe,” Kemp said.
State Rep. Sam Park, D-Lawrenceville, released a statement following the governor’s announcement, saying:
“If Kemp and the GOP really wanted to solve the border problem, they would work with Biden and Democrats to pass bipartisan legislation to send billions of dollars to help protect our own border. Instead, they are following Trump and politicizing the issue for political gain.”
Currently, there are already 29 guard members deployed to the border performing missions that include aerial surveillance.
The governor’s office said more than 8.5 million illegal immigrants have crossed into the country since President Joe Biden took office.
“As a result of the Texas Guard’s Operation Lone Star actions, over 56,000 pounds of meth, over 458 million doses of fentanyl, and over $51 million in currency have been seized,” the governor’s office said.
State Senator Elena Parent (D-Atlanta) who serves as the Senate Minority Caucus Chair released a statement that read,
“I would hope that Gov Kemp encourages Republicans in Washington to pass the bipartisan border security bill, which would provide a lot more resources to the folks constitutionally able to manage the border- the federal government’s Border Patrol. Then the Georgia National Guard could focus on Georgia.”
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