“Stop the invasion.”
That was the message posted front and center as Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced plans to deploy even more National Guard, State Guard, and Highway Patrol officers to assist Texas in securing its southern border and ending the flow of illegal immigration from Mexico.
“If we don’t have a border, then we are not a sovereign country,” Mr. DeSantis said in Jacksonville on Feb. 1. “You either have a border, or you don’t. You’re either a sovereign country, or you’re not.
“So what we’re doing today is we’re stepping up yet again. We’re helping, and I know other states have done a lot, and I’m pretty sure some of these other states are going to do more.”
The Sunshine State is now prepared to deploy members of its own State Guard, the governor announced, and up to a full battalion of its National Guard, which is approximately 1,000 soldiers.
“Since reactivation of the Florida State Guard, our soldiers have been trained and credentialed in emergency response and public safety and humanitarian assistance operations,” Florida State Guard Director Mark Thieme said.
“Our response to the governor’s call to action in support of Texas is deeply rooted in our unwavering commitment to support public safety in times of need.”
This is in addition to the more than 90 officers already there representing the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP), and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).
“This is not a new mission for us. For several years, we have supported border security missions in Texas, to include both federal and state deployments,” said Maj. Gen. John D. Haas, the adjutant general of Florida.
“Last spring, the Florida National Guard was one of the first in the nation to deploy rotations of soldiers to support Operation Lone Star in Texas, and we have proudly and readily supported our own state’s efforts in similar roles here in Florida.”
A coalition of 27 states has formed to support Texas’s right to defend itself after the Supreme Court ruled that Border Patrol agents can remove the razor wire preventing the flow of illegal immigrants from Mexico.
Florida has been directly assisting Texas to secure its border since 2021, deploying more than 700 members of Florida’s National Guard, as well as 540 personnel, 525 four-wheel drive patrol trucks, and 24 vessels from the FWC.
The governor’s office reports that in that timeframe, FHP officers have “made contact with nearly 150,000 illegal aliens, conducted over 27,000 traffic stops, resulting in 2,102 Human Smuggling or Human Trafficking charges with 2,278 overall arrests.”
More than 10 million illegal immigrants have reportedly crossed the border since President Joe Biden took office.
“You’re going to have more Florida folks there because I think this is an American issue,” Mr. DeSantis said. “I don’t think it’s one state’s issue. And I think we have to do the right thing here.
“So, I’m proud of what all these folks from Florida have done over these last couple of years. And I’m proud of what they’re going to do.”
