(The Center Square) – Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Tuesday she is sending 40 members of the state’s National Guard to the southern border.
The soldiers will leave April 1 and return May 30, according to a news release.
“President Biden opened our southern border to an invasion of illegal immigrants, drugs, and human trafficking and is now criticizing Texas for stepping up where his administration has failed,” Sanders said. “I’ve seen the crisis our President created firsthand, and I know the incredible men and women of the Arkansas Guard can help supplement Texas’ efforts to keep our border secure and our states safe.”
The Texas National Guard is the lead agency, and the Arkansas soldiers will report to Sanders, she said.
More than 1.9 million entered Texas illegally from the Mexican border in fiscal year 2023, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection data. Nearly 4 million people entered the U.S. illegally, according to the data.
“The Arkansas National Guard has a rich history of helping neighboring states in a crisis,” said Maj. Gen. Jonathan Stubbs, Arkansas’ Adjutant General. “We assisted Texas last year, and have done so under previous administrations. Our soldiers will be well prepared and ready to assist the Texas National Guard’s operations.”
This is the third deployment of Arkansas National Guard troops during the Biden administration. Sanders sent 80 soldiers to the Texas border last July. Former Gov. Asa Hutchinson deployed 90 in the summer of 2021.
