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Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Thursday that he is sending the Florida National Guard and National Guard to Texas to help install razor wire along the southern border.
The Supreme Court ruled last week that the federal government has the authority to remove razor wire and other barriers installed by the Texas government at the border, but the Texas National Guard continued to install wire last week.
Florida plans to send up to 1,000 National Guard members and National Guard volunteers to assist Texas “in the relatively near future.”
“Our goal is to help the state of Texas strengthen this border, strengthen the barricades, add barriers, add the necessary wires so we can stop this invasion once and for all,” DeSantis said from Jacksonville’s Cecil Airport. We need to support them in this way,” he said. Thursday morning. “And the state has to come together.”
Mr. DeSantis repeated the inflammatory language Republicans have used about the tens of thousands of asylum seekers and other migrants arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border. People seeking asylum typically present themselves to Border Patrol agents between ports of entry. Many migrants are from Mexico, and some try to sneak in to avoid border patrol agents.
Razor wire did not discourage immigrants. Many people, including children, are at risk of serious injury when passing through bellows rings.
The Florida governor responded:With campaign over, Gov. Ron DeSantis could reassert far-right policies for Florida.
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DeSantis praised the Florida National Guard in Kissimmee last week, telling attendees at a news conference on semiconductor manufacturing that he wanted volunteer Guardsmen to help control immigration at Texas’ southern border.
A bill currently being considered in the Florida Legislature (HB 1551/SB 1694) would allow DeSantis to send Guard troops to other states.
The National Guard was established to replace the Florida National Guard during World War II and was deactivated in 1947.
DeSantis reinstated the National Guard in 2022, and Congress increased funding from $10 million to $107.6 million. Last year, membership tripled from 400 to 1,500.
Other Republican-led states have sent National Guard troops to border patrol duties in Texas, including Oklahoma and Iowa.
Contributor: Lauren Villagren, USA TODAY
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