Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has thanked Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt for deploying several dozen state national guardsmen to the Southern border.
Following a sendoff event in Texas’ neighboring state to the north, Abbott announced, “Oklahoma is teaming up with Texas to help hold the line against Biden’s border crisis.”
“Thank you, [Gov. Stitt]. Biden’s border crisis has made every state a border state,” he asserted. “Proud to have the support of fellow Governors as Texas continues to step up.”
In total, 50 guardsmen from the Sooner State will begin their mission on the border. The deployment comes after Gov. Stitt promised earlier this summer to send resources to assist Operation Lone Star in securing the Rio Grande.
Stitt said at the time, “As Governor, the decision to deploy members of the National Guard is not one I take lightly and, as the parent of a deployed soldier, I am acutely aware of the sacrifices made by the brave men and women of our National Guard and their families during deployment.”
“However, I believe it is in the best interest of Oklahoma and the nation to take decisive action to address the federal government’s utter failure to secure our southern border,” he explained. “… [B]y deploying our brave National Guard Troops, we’re sending a strong message that we remain dedicated to defending our borders and upholding law and order in our nation.”
Stitt is one of 13 governors who together have dispatched 1,305 national guardsmen and 231 law enforcement personnel in response to Abbott’s call for aid.
The other governors include Kim Reynolds (Iowa), Glenn Youngkin (Virginia), Sarah Huckabee Sanders (Arkansas), Ron DeSantis (Florida), Brad Little (Idaho), Jim Pillen (Nebraska), Doug Burgum (North Dakota), Mike DeWine (Ohio), Henry McMaster (South Carolina), Kristi Noem (South Dakota), Bill Lee (Tennessee), and Jim Justice (West Virginia).
In a joint statement, the group said, “President Biden has abandoned his constitutional responsibility to secure the border and continues to fail to prevent millions of migrants from illegally crossing into our country.”
“The illegal flow of criminals, drugs, and contraband moving across our border create an untenable situation for all states,” the governors continued. “Every state is a border state and Republican governors – together – are stepping up to protect Americans where Biden has failed.”
Texas’ efforts to secure the southern border and repel unlawful migration have led to direct conflict with the administration of President Joe Biden, which has sued the state.
In announcing the lawsuit, the Department of Justice’s Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta explained, “We allege that Texas has flouted federal law by installing a barrier in the Rio Grande without obtaining the required federal authorization.”
“This floating barrier poses threats to navigation and public safety and presents humanitarian concerns. Additionally, the presence of the floating barrier has prompted diplomatic protests by Mexico and risks damaging U.S. foreign policy,” she continued.
However, Gov. Abbott and other Texas leaders have drawn a line in the sand, standing by the state’s initiatives, as reported by The Dallas Express.
