California Governor Gavin Newsom reportedly will be pulling over 300 National Guard members from the Mexico border this coming week.
First, New Mexico
On February 6th newly elected New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham made the decision to withdraw most of the National Guard troops that were stationed by the Mexico border by her predecessor. Rejecting “the federal contention that there exists an overwhelming national security crisis at the southern border,” and said, “New Mexico will not take part in the president’s charade of border fearmongering by misusing our diligent National Guard troops.”
Grisham also directed 25 troops from other states- Arkansas, Kansas, Kentucky, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Wisconsin- to withdraw from the New Mexico border. [1]
Next, California
A few short days later California’s Governor is following suit. New California Governor Newsom addressed pulling out roughly 360 National Guard members just one day before his State of the State address.
According to released excerpts of his speech, Newsom said that he doesn’t want his troops to participate in the White House’s “political theater” when they could “refocus on the real threats facing our state.” Newsom reportedly plans on redeploying the troops to wildfire prevention efforts along with countering drug cartel groups. [2]
“The Border ‘emergency’ is a manufactured crisis,” Newsom is expected to say on Tuesday, when he gives his State of the State address, according to the prepared remarks provided by the governor’s office. “This is our answer to the White House: No more division, xenophobia or nativism.” [3]
Notes:
- ^Press, The Associated. “New Mexico governor pulls National Guard troops from border.” Military Times, 6 Feb. 2019, www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2019/02/06/new-mexico-governor-pulls-national-guard-troops-from-border. (go back ↩)
- ^Weber, Peter. “California governor to follow New Mexico, pull National Guard from Trump’s ‘manufactured’ border crisis.” The Week, 11 Feb. 2019, theweek.com/speedreads/823114/california-governor-follow-new-mexico-pull-national-guard-from-trumps-manufactured-border-crisis. (go back ↩)
- ^Ulloa, Jazmine and Taryn Luna. “California Gov. Gavin Newsom to pull National Guard from border with Mexico.” latimes.com, 11 Feb. 2019, www.latimes.com/politics/la-pol-ca-gavin-newsom-california-national-guard-withdraw-immigration-20190211-story.html. (go back ↩)
