TALLAHASSEE, FL (352today.com) – Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Thursday that he is deploying members of the Florida National Guard (FLNG) and the Florida State Guard (FSG) to help Texas at its southern border.
Gov. DeSantis says FLNG and FSG members will join more than 90 officers from the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP), Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) who are already helping at the southern border.
The governor’s office says Florida is “offering up to a battalion of National Guard members,” which is approximately 1,000 soldiers, to Texas. They will be deployed based on Texas’ needs said the governor in a news release.
“Additional law enforcement resources are standing by and ready to deploy as requested by Texas state officials,” added the governor’s office.
The governor’s office cited Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data that indicates more than 302,000 illegal immigrants were found attempting to cross the southern border in December. They say it is the highest month ever recorded, and 169 of those attempting to cross are on the terror watchlist.
“States have every right to defend their sovereignty and we are pleased to increase our support to Texas as the Lone Star State works to stop the invasion across the border,” said Gov. DeSantis. “Our reinforcements will help Texas to add additional barriers, including razor wire along the border. We don’t have a country if we don’t have a border.”
According to the Adjutant General of Florida, Maj. Gen. John D. Haas, last spring the FLNG was the “first in the nation to deploy rotations of soldiers” to help support Texas.
“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,” added Haas.
The governor’s office says Florida has provided law enforcement and military assistance to Texas since 2021. This assistance includes the FLNG which has supported the Texas Military Department through mission sets.
“The Florida State Guard is prepared to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with state agency partners in direct support of our brothers and sisters in Texas grappling with an unprecedented surge of illegal immigration along their border,” said FSG Director Mark Thieme. “The Florida State Guard is postured to deliver rapid emergency response, public safety operations and humanitarian assistance — wherever the need arises.”
According to the governor’s staff, FHP has made contact with nearly 150,000 illegal aliens, conducted over 27,000 traffic stops which resulted in 2,102 human smuggling or human trafficking charges with 2,278 arrests.
The FDLE has also sent officers to help the Texas Department of Public Safety with arresting felony suspects whose alleged crimes include human smuggling, burglary, smuggling of persons, smuggling of persons with a firearm, child endangerment, escape from federal custody, and possession of controlled substances.
The FWC has deployed 540 personnel, 24 vessels, and 525 four-wheel patrol trucks, according to the governor’s office.
