(USA Features) Gov. Mike DeWine will send 185 Ohio National Guard troops to assist Texas and Arizona as they deal with an unprecedented surge of illegal migrants, becoming the sixth state to do so.
The Republican governor made the announcement on Monday after South Dakota and Arkansas also agreed to send Guard troops to the border in response to a request from Govs. Doug Ducey of Arizona and Greg Abbott of Texas, both of whom are also Republicans.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, another Republican, agreed instead to send law enforcement assistance to Texas, becoming the first state to do so. He said the increase in the presence of illegal Fentanyl smuggled into northern Florida from Mexico influenced his decision.
“You have a governor who is saying we’ll step up to protect Floridians. This is what real leadership looks like. Leadership is not sending someone down there to beg people not to come,” Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody said at a press conference.
Her comments were in reference to Vice President Kamala Harris’s previous statements telling migrants not to make the trip to the border without imposing additional enforcement measures.
“When you have chaos versus order, crime versus safety, you develop strategic enforcement actions, and you bring peace and protection to your people. That’s what a leader does,” Moody added.
Nebraska is also sending law enforcement — two dozen state troopers — to Texas, Gov. Pete Ricketts announced last week while knocking the “disastrous policies” of the Biden administration.
“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,” he said in a statement.
Also last month, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds said announced that up to 30 state troopers will go down to the border indefinitely.
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem is sending 50 Guard troops for just 30 to 60 days, a deployment that will actually be paid for with private donations from conservative billionaires Willis and Reba Johnson.
And Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchison is sending 40 National Guard troops to the border for 90 days.
“Border states have requested help, and we are answering the call,” he said.
Ducey and Abbott, though, did not request Guard forces but focused instead on law enforcement personnel so they could be given broader arrest powers.
“Normally, only federal authorities such as the Border Patrol can arrest people for immigration offenses, but the two governors expanded arrest authorities by declaring a disaster and emergency,” the Washington Examiner reported.