Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds announced that the state is sending 110 of its National Guard troops, along with law enforcement personnel, to support Texan authorities in their efforts to stop illegal migrants crossing into the state from Mexico.
In a statement published on March 28, Reynolds described the situation at the U.S.-Mexico border as "nothing short of an invasion" and said the Biden administration had "failed to protect the sovereignty of our border."
Two days later, Texas Governor Abbott confirmed an additional 700 soldiers from the Texas National Guard and newly formed Texas Tactical Border Force (TTBF) had been deployed to El Paso after "migrants breached [a] razor wire barrier."
Illegal migration to the United States has surged over the past few years, making it one of the most contentious political issues and the source of soaring tensions between Texan and federal authorities. Donald Trump, the presumptive 2024 Republican presidential candidate, has made a crackdown on illegal immigration one of the key planks of his bid for a second White House term.
The 110 Iowa National Guard troops will be in Texas until May 3, while 10 personnel from the state's Department of Public Safety will remain in place until April 27. A second Iowa National Guard deployment of five personnel will also take place between April 1 and September 30.
In a statement, the Iowa governor said: "President Biden and his Administration have failed to protect the sovereignty of our borders and the safety of the American people. What Texas faces is nothing short of an invasion with historic levels of illegal immigrants and illicit drugs entering our country. Now, every state is a border state, and with that comes a duty to protect the people of Iowa.
"These deployments will help Texas on the frontlines of this crisis. I am grateful to all the members of the Iowa Department of Public Safety and the Iowa National Guard for volunteering for the deployment. It's a testament to their leadership and willingness to serve."
Newsweek reached out to Governor Abbott's press office via email at 8 a.m. ET on Tuesday. This article will be updated if they decide to comment.
On March 30, Abbott confirmed on X, formerly Twitter, that 700 additional troops "surged to El Paso" after footage of migrants pushing past fencing and National Guard members in the state went viral on social media after being published by the New York Post.
Later the same day, he shared photos of TTBF troops arriving at an airport, adding: "Nearly 200 soldiers in the Texas Tactical Border Force arrived in El Paso yesterday. These soldiers will bolster Texas' ability to hold the line.
"Texas will continue to utilize all available resources and personnel to secure our border."
There were 68,260 encounters between suspected illegal migrants and law enforcement along the Texas-Mexico border in January 2024, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection data. In December 2023, 149,806 such encounters were recorded.
Last month, the Texas Department of Public Safety sent Border Patrol agents a warning that some migrants were becoming "more aggressive towards border patrol," according to a memo acquired by NewsNation.
On March 19, Texas Senate Bill 4, a piece of state legislation signed by Abbott, was put on hold by a federal appeals court just hours after being approved by the Supreme Court in a 6-3 verdict. The legislation would allow Texan law enforcement to detain and deport illegal migrants causing controversy as this has typically been seen as a federal responsibility.
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James Bickerton is a Newsweek U.S. News reporter based in London, U.K. His focus is covering U.S. politics and world ... Read more
