Georgia Governor Deploys Troops to Texas as Calls Mount for Action on Border Crisis
After President Biden’s lack of action on the issue of illegal immigration at the Mexican border, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp took matters into his own hands. In a recent interview with Fox News, the Republican governor announced his commitment to deploy over a dozen guardsmen to Texas.
Kemp mentioned that the deployment will be delayed until a formal request is received by the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency from Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott.
“We are currently awaiting the written request from Texas. We will not send them our assistance at our own discretion.” “This is a national issue and it’s unfortunate that the president has the power to address it but is choosing not to,” stated Kemp.
Kemp mentioned that he accompanied Abbott and a group of governors from various states, including Nebraska, Utah, Iowa, and Arkansas, to visit the Mexican border and witness the crisis firsthand.
“We’ve had individuals present at that location since 2019, and I’ve personally visited the area on five separate occasions,” he mentioned. “I’ve witnessed the positive outcomes that arise from effective collaboration between the federal government and state governments, particularly in addressing the challenges posed by illegal immigration and mass migration at our southern border.”
Governor Kemp: Other Border States Inactive on Migrant Influx
However, Kemp pointed out that it is not only Texas that shares a border with Mexico. He mentioned to Fox News that the governors of other border states have also not taken action against the influx of migrants. However, he emphasized that the situation is expected to be a federal issue, despite Biden’s apparent lack of responsibility.
Even though Mexico is located 1,000 miles away from the Chattahoochee River at Georgia’s westernmost boundary, Kemp claims that the situation has worsened under Biden’s administration to the extent that “every state is a border state.”
Last year, the congressman representing the district along New Mexico’s entire Mexican border criticized Abbott for authorizing the construction of a concertina wire fence in his state. It was believed that migrants were crossing the border in New Mexico and then making their way into Texas.
Rep. Gabriel Vasquez, a Democratic representative from New Mexico, expressed his strong disapproval of the action, describing it as disrespectful to his constituents and the city of Sunland Park. This city is located on the border of El Paso, Texas and Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua.
In 2019, New Mexico Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham made the decision to withdraw a majority of the guardsmen from the border. She criticized then-President Donald Trump, accusing him of engaging in what she called a “charade of border fear-mongering,” as reported by NPR.
Last fall, Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom of California announced the deployment of more national guardsmen to four ports of entry within the state. Their purpose is to assist in intercepting illegal narcotics, as stated by his office.
In December, Arizona’s Democratic Governor, Katie Hobbs, expressed her belief that the federal government is neglecting its responsibility to secure the border. She urged the Biden administration to redeploy national guardsmen to reopen the Lukeville port-of-entry, which has seen a significant influx of border-crossers in recent weeks.
During an interview on Fox News, Kemp emphasized the importance of maintaining pressure on Biden and his administration, with the hope of eventually influencing a policy change.
According to him, Republican governors have expressed their willingness to meet with or provide advice to Biden, but he mentioned that the White House has not yet taken them up on their offers.
