Virginia Joins the Fight: National Guard Troops Deployed to the Southern Border

AP Photo/Cliff Owen, File

Virginia has joined other states in sending National Guard troops to the southern border to help Texas deal with the ever-worsening illegal immigrant crisis. Since this has been an ongoing problem since shortly after President Joe Biden took office, states have been stepping up to address the issue in the absence of real solutions coming from the White House.

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Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin on Wednesday announced that the state is sending National Guard troops to the southern border in order to aid Texas with the ongoing crisis at its border with Mexico — becoming the latest in a number of GOP-led states to send resources and troops.

“The ongoing border crisis facing our nation has turned every state into a border state,” said Governor Glenn Youngkin said in a statement. “As leadership solutions at the federal level fall short, states are answering the call to secure our southern border, reduce the flow of fentanyl, combat human trafficking and address the humanitarian crisis.”

Youngkin said the deployment of 100 troops came after a briefing from Texas Gov. Greg Abbott — who has requested help from other states in dealing with the historic migrant crisis now into its third year.

Florida recently sent troops and other personnel to the southern border to aid in the effort. The Sunshine State’s troops arrived in Texas over the weekend to support the border response, reinforcing areas that lack physical barriers. Texas Governor Greg Abbott thanked Gov. Ron DeSantis for deploying troops and acknowledged support from other states like Tennessee, Nebraska, and Mississippi. The move comes as the Biden administration faces criticism for failing to secure the border, with the number of CBP encounters surpassing previous years.

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Earlier this month, the Biden administration approved using 1,500 troops at the border. The move came just before the Title 42 policy, which makes it easier to turn illegal immigrants away at the border, was set to expire on May 11. However, these personnel were to be used in administrative roles and uninvolved with enforcement activity.

While states are doing what they can, it is the cities, particularly those near the border, that are grappling with the consequences of the ongoing influx of illegal immigrants. Even further, New York City, Chicago, and other urban centers are experiencing the strain of accommodating and providing services for a large number of illegal immigrants. This places immense pressure on their resources, infrastructure, and social services, leaving them struggling to cope with the demands of the situation. Local communities are being left to bear the burden, which is neither fair nor sustainable in the long term.

While assistance from other states is necessary at this point, it is crucial to recognize that this is not a long-term solution. President Biden must step up and take serious action to address the matter instead of sitting in his office and twiddling his thumbs. This includes strengthening border security measures, ensuring efficient and humane processing of illegal immigrants, and establishing effective immigration policies. We have already seen the consequences of Biden’s approach to this matter. How much more of this can the country take?

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