South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem announced this week that she will send soldiers to the southern border to help with the ongoing illegal immigration crisis exacerbated by President Joe Biden.
“The border is a warzone, so we’re sending soldiers,” Noem wrote on X. “The SD-Guard’s primary mission will be construction of a wall to stem the flow of illegal immigrants, drug cartels, and human trafficking into the United States of America.”
The border is a warzone, so we’re sending soldiers. The @SD_Guard’s primary mission will be construction of a wall to stem the flow of illegal immigrants, drug cartels, and human trafficking into the United States of America.
— Governor Kristi Noem (@GovKristiNoem) February 20, 2024
Read more here: https://t.co/DoQTv3Ow8u pic.twitter.com/elituqMTvD
Specifically, 60 South Dakota National Guard soldiers will deploy to the border on a rolling basis over a three-month period. In a statement, Noem pointed out that this is the fifth time that the South Dakota National Guard has been sent to the border (via SD.gov):
Last month, Governor Noem and the South Dakota legislature joined together to hold the first joint session in the nation responding to Texas’ efforts to secure the border in the face of threats from the Biden Administration. Governor Noem delivered a special address to the joint session of the legislature; shortly thereafter, the legislature became the first in the nation to pass a resolution of support for Texas’ efforts and for states’ rights.
In her address to the joint session of the legislature, Governor Noem highlighted a desire for different rules of engagement if South Dakota were to again deploy National Guard soldiers to the border: “Our troops have been hampered by federal restrictions when they’ve been deployed to the border in the past. I don’t want South Dakota soldiers to facilitate an invasion – I want them to stand up and stop it. So we are talking to Texas about what rules of engagement can look like to make sure that happens.” This request has been met by the new primary mission of constructing a border wall.
In December, encounters at the southern border surpassed 300,000, a record number. And, As Sarah covered, GOP Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said on Friday that he will install a military base camp on 80 acres of land in Eagle Pass and hold up to 1,800 Texas National Guard members.
"This will increase the ability for a larger number of Texas Military Department soldiers in Eagle Pass to operate more effectively and efficiently," Abbott reportedly said during a press conference.
