Governor Brian Kemp is sending additional National Guard troops to assist Texas Governor Greg Abbott with the illegal immigration crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border.
In a Feb. 13 press conference, Kemp said that 15 to 20 National Guard soldiers would be arriving soon to bolster the 29 Georgia troops already stationed in Texas.
The move comes after the Georgia House and Senate passed resolutions expressing support for the move. The additional troops will assist in the construction of a forward command post on the border with Mexico.
In a statement, Kemp blamed the White House for failing to meet a bipartisan deal on border security and called on states to step in. Several other Republican governors have also pledged National Guard support to Texas.
Despite the GOP’s political protests about immigration, the Republican-led Congress refused to consider a tough bipartisan immigration bill negotiated in the U.S. Senate.
‘Not a red state or a blue state issue’
The contingent of Georgia guardsmen is expected to deploy in the spring of this year and will be comprised of those with engineering, mechanical, and general-purpose skills. While deployed, they will assist in the construction of a forward command post on the Texas border with Mexico.
Both the Georgia State Senate and House of Representatives voted on and passed resolutions this week that reaffirm Georgia’s support for the Texas mission and its Constitutional right to self-defense as the federal government fails to act.
“Illegal immigration is not a red state or a blue state issue — it is an every state issue, and that includes right here in Georgia,” said Speaker of the House Jon Burns. “The massive increase in illegal immigration has caused a humanitarian, public safety, and economic crisis across the country — and cannot continue.”
Biden points to Trump
President Biden blames his predecessor, Donald Trump, for the Senate immigration bill’s failure, after Trump urged Republicans not to pass it.
“Look, I understand the former president is desperately trying to stop this bill because he’s not interested in solving the border problem, he wants a political issue to run against me on,” Biden said.
U.S. Senate Republicans on Tuesday walked away from the bipartisan border security and immigration deal after U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, at Trump’s urging, said he would not introduce the legislation in the House.
“Every day between now and November, the American people are going to know that the only reason the border is not secure is Donald Trump and his MAGA Republican friends,” Biden said.
Kemp and other Republican governors claim 8.5 million immigrants have crossed into the country since Biden took office. However, some media reports say that number is closer to 7.2 million.
