South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem said she’ll be the first governor to send up to 50 National Guard troops to Texas to help “secure” the border. “The Biden Administration has failed to keep America safe,” Noem wrote in a tweet announcing the decision. “We shouldn’t be making our own communities vulnerable by sending police to fix Biden’s border crisis.” The troops will be stationed at the border for 30 to 60 days and will be paid for by “private donation,” the Argus Leader reports. While states such as Florida and Iowa have sent state troopers and other law enforcement officials to the state, Noem is the first governor to deploy National Guard members. The united Republican front comes after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey sent a letter to governors earlier this month asking if they could spare any resources to combat a surge in migrants. Since then, at least five Republican-led states have pledged law enforcement officials in response.
