Governor to send Georgia Guard troops to southern border

ATLANTA – At the direction of Gov. Brian Kemp, the Georgia National Guard will deploy additional troops to the U.S. southern border to provide additional support to the Texas Guard in its mission to prevent the free flow of illegal migrants and threats to public safety from entering the country, known as Operation Lone Star.

This deployment follows Kemp’s trip to the border earlier this month — his fifth since taking office — where he was briefed by officials on the crisis and the ongoing efforts by multiple states to step in where the federal government is failing to act. Georgia has had the longest continuous presence of guardsmen on the southern border of any state, beginning in 2019 when Kemp took office.

“Georgia is once again stepping up to help do what the White House and Democrats in Congress refuse to do – secure our southern border,” Kemp said. “As I recently told Gov. Greg Abbott, Texas has Georgia’s support, and we stand ready to provide additional resources in the effort to keep Americans safe.”

The contingent of Georgia guardsmen is expected to deploy in the spring of this year and will comprise 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. Georgia Guard leadership will work closely work with Texas Guard leadership in the coming weeks to tailor the mission in accordance with Texas’ official request for assistance and the evolving conditions on the border.

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,” Speaker of the House Jon Burns said. “The massive increase in illegal immigration has caused a humanitarian, public safety, and economic crisis across the country — and cannot continue. House Resolution 1019 is our pledge to Gov. Kemp and the people of Georgia that we stand united against lawlessness at our border and in support of legal immigration, affirming our commitment to safeguarding our state’s interests and upholding the rule of law.”

Along with the Georgia Guard’s continual presence at the southern border, the state also joined the American Governors’ Border Strike Task Force under Kemp’s leadership. This collaboration among multiple states was formed to disrupt and dismantle transnational criminal organizations by increasing communication, improving intelligence, investing in analysis, combating human smuggling, and stopping the flow of drugs into states.

More than 8.5 million illegal immigrants have crossed into the country since President Biden took office, with 169 people on the terror watchlist encountered at the southern border in Fiscal Year 2023, alone — an all-time record high, the governor’s office said in a press release.

As a result of the Texas Guard’s Operation Lone Star actions, more than 56,000 pounds of meth, more than 458 million doses of fentanyl, and more than $51 million in currency have been seized. Meanwhile, states and cities throughout the country are bearing the weight of additional pressure caused by the influx of migrants, including unaccompanied minors. 

Special Photo: Governor’s Office