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Youngkin To Deploy Virginia National Guard Troops To Southern Border

   DailyWire.com
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Republican Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin ordered 100 Virginia National Guard troops to help the state of Texas reduce the flow of illegal drugs and human trafficking into the United States at the southern border.

“The ongoing border crisis facing our nation has turned every state into a border state,” Youngkin said in a Wednesday news release. “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 signed the executive directive to support Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s Operation Lone Star, which was launched in 2021 to combat drug smuggling and human trafficking.

“Given the intensive resource demands on Texas, the dangers posed by the fentanyl crisis, and impact of the border crisis on criminal activity to the Commonwealth, Virginia will do its part to assist the State of Texas’ efforts with the coordinated deployment of Virginia National Guard soldiers to assist in key aspects of their mission.”

Youngkin told local media that five Virginians die every day from fentanyl overdoses, and large quantities of the drug are smuggled over the southern border.

“We cannot allow Texas to take on the sole responsibility by themselves,” he said.

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Youngkin’s move received criticism from Democrats in Virginia, who called the move absurd and disingenuous, according to local media.

“Youngkin for President has officially jumped the shark — our VA National Guard troops shouldn’t be used to further presidential ambitions much less fight a MAGA culture war in Texas of all places — Never thought I would see my state so compromised,” Democratic State Sen. Scott Surovell tweeted.

Republican governors, including Florida Governor and 2024 presidential candidate Ron DeSantis, recently announced plans to send more than 800 National Guard troops and 300 law enforcement officers to Texas after the end of Title 42 caused a surge of crossings at the border.

DeSantis warned, despite claims from Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas that illegal border crossings were decreasing, that the situation at the southern border “is going to be really, really bad — potentially very shortly.”

In early May, President Joe Biden ordered 1,500 active-duty troops to join the 2,5000 National Guard members stationed at the border.

“For 90 days, these 1,500 military personnel will fill critical capability gaps, such as ground-based detection and monitoring, data entry, and warehouse support, until CBP can address these needs through contracted support,” Pentagon Press Secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder told Fox News in a statement. “Military personnel will not directly participate in law enforcement activities.”

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