Responding to the escalating challenges at the southern border, Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders has authorized the deployment of additional Arkansas National Guardsmen to Texas.
Between April 1 and May 30, the Arkansas National Guard will send roughly 20 Guardsmen to the border.
Gov. Sanders emphasized the importance of addressing the challenges faced at the southern border and laid blame on President Biden in 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. 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,” stated Gov. Sanders.
“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,” per the release.
In July of 2023, Gov. Sanders authorized the deployment of around 80 Guardsmen to the southern border. Before that, in the summer of 2021, Gov. Hutchinson deployed 40 Guardsmen for 90 days to assist with border security efforts. Additionally, Between June 2006 and July 2008, during Operation Jump Start, over 750 soldiers and airmen from the Arkansas National Guard were deployed to support the Border Patrol, per the release.
The influx of support at the border comes from a newly formed initiative from various state governors aimed at reducing the wave of crime, drugs, and human trafficking within the area, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
Under the leadership of Gov. Greg Abbott, Operation Lone Star is a concerted effort to address the surge in unlawful migration, drug trafficking, and human smuggling plaguing the region. The initiative seeks support in various forms, including donations to fortify border infrastructure and transport unlawful migrants to other destinations, per the governor’s website.
