Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has announced the deployment of over 1,100 state law enforcement agents and National Guard members to Texas’ border with Mexico.
The deployment includes:
- 800 members of the Florida National Guard
- 200 agents from the state Department of Law Enforcement in teams of 40
- 101 state highway patrol troopers
- 20 agents from the state Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the Department of Emergency Management
- 5 fixed-wing aircraft
- 17 unmanned drones
- 10 waterborne vessels
DeSantis’ office has stated that the personnel will be stationed at the border for 30 days, with the possibility of extensions. The announcement comes shortly before the start of hurricane season in June.
Governor Greg Abbott of Texas, made a request through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact, prompting Republican governors across the country to send state resources to the southern border. Abbott recently issued a statement requesting support from all 50 governors in responding to the ongoing border crisis.
Texas has requested that the states assisting with the mission bear the associated costs. Taryn Fenske, DeSantis’ communications director, confirmed that law enforcement agencies in Florida and Texas have been in contact for over a week regarding the crisis at the border.
