South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem has warned that the influx of millions of illegal immigrants is now threatening her Midwestern state. 

As the crisis at the southern border worsens by the day, Noem explained in a news release how ruthless Mexican drug cartels are impacting her state at every level, including its various tribal reservations intended for Native American communities. She also stressed that "[t]his is an issue for every American."

She wrote:

South Dakota is directly affected by this invasion. We are affected by cartel presence on our tribal reservations; by the spread of drugs and human trafficking throughout our communities; and by the drain on our resources at the local, state, and federal level.

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And now, the sheer number of illegal migrants coming into the country has made it so that every state is now a border state. This isn’t just an issue for Texas and other states along the border. This is an issue for every American.

SD was the first state to send National Guard soldiers to the border.

But in the last few months, the situation has become even more dire. pic.twitter.com/ziem8fWxZT

— Kristi Noem (@KristiNoem) February 2, 2024

Noem also declared her unwavering support for Texas Governor Greg Abbott amid his legal battle with the Biden administration as to whether the state should be allowed to enforce federal immigration law: 

When the federal government fails to uphold its duty to the people, the responsibility falls to the states. But Democrat politicians are urging President Biden to federalize the Texas National Guard. If he were to do that, it would be the first time in American history that a president activated American armed forces explicitly to stand down, to make us less safe, to not protect the United States of America. And if President Biden can do that to Texas, he can do it to South Dakota – or any other state.

Governors are Commanders in Chief of our National Guards. These soldiers report to us, not the federal government. We understand our unique situations better than a distant federal authority can. I trust Governor Abbott to make the best decisions for his National Guard, just as I make the best decisions for ours here in South Dakota.

Every state is a border state.

South Dakota will continue to do all we can to help the crisis at the Southern Border. pic.twitter.com/GFqQ5rnJUC

— Kristi Noem (@KristiNoem) February 2, 2024

The 52-year-old also confirmed that she had repeatedly sent National Guard soldiers down to Texas to help try and enforce the border:

We need to be prepared to stand united to protect our state’s constitutional right to defend ourselves. I am proud to support what Texas is doing to defend itself because I realize the consequences of what will happen if they don’t. The cartels are here in South Dakota, and they are perpetuating violence and criminal activity daily on South Dakota families. They are killing our children with their drugs and trafficking. These cartels are being fed from over the open southern border where more dangerous individuals are entering the country to destroy America from within.

Noem is far from the only Republican governor to have rallied about Texas' Greg Abbott. As of last week, 26 Republican governors had sent messages of support, many of whom also pledged to send National Guard soldiers as reinforcement.