Later this year, South Dakota’s Republican governor, Kristi Noem, will send sixty state-based military soldiers to the southern border, as she indicated. In the midst of continuing disagreements over immigration policy between Republican governors and the Biden administration, this is Noem’s fifth deployment since 2021.
In light of her previous demands for a coordinated national response to the border situation, which she terms a “invasion” and characterizes as a “warzone,” Noem has made the following announcement. She said that helping to build a wall along the border is the main objective of the military, with the hope of curbing the increase in illegal immigration, drug cartels, and human trafficking.
During Noem’s most recent tour, he visited Eagle Pass, Texas, to see the migrant flood firsthand. Last month, she spoke before the legislature of South Dakota and called on all fifty states to work together to combat the drug gangs in Mexico.
But the governor’s moves have sparked debate. A Republican donor contributed $1 million to assist pay for her deployment in 2021, which is one of her earlier deployments that have been criticized for their high cost. The Biden administration has also cast doubt on the constitutionality of the border enforcement methods implemented by Texas, such as the barbed wire fencing.
At the same time as the deployment, the southern border has seen an unprecedented influx of migrants. The greatest monthly number ever reported was over 300,000 persons caught in December 2023 while attempting to cross. Republicans are accusing the Biden administration of not doing more to secure the border since this surge has placed a tremendous burden on border states like Texas.
Noem was well-received by Texas Governor Greg Abbott, who has had multiple disagreements with Biden administration officials on immigration policy. He thanked the governor for his leadership and the gallant soldiers who were defending the country.
Some have argued that Noem’s action is nothing more than a political gimmick that turns a blind eye to the underlying causes of migration. She supposedly said that erecting walls and sending in the army won’t fix the problem, according to Rep. Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY). She advocates, instead, for all-encompassing change that provides a humane solution to the border crisis and legal status for undocumented immigrants.
