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- South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem is contemplating growing assist for Texas’ border efforts, together with sending razor wire and security personnel.
- Noem criticized the situations at the U.S.-Mexico border throughout a speech to the Legislature, specializing in the risk posed by Mexican drug cartels.
- She has beforehand deployed South Dakota National Guard troops to the border and accepted a $1 million donation for border deployment in 2021.
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem mentioned Wednesday that her administration is contemplating boosting its assist for Texas’ efforts to deter immigration at the U.S.-Mexico border, resembling sending razor wire and security personnel.
The second-term Republican governor blasted situations at the border in a speech to a joint session of the Legislature, a gathering she requested Monday after visiting the border final week. Noem, as soon as seen as a possible 2024 presidential candidate, has made the border state of affairs a spotlight throughout her tenure.
“The United States of America is in a time of invasion,” Noem mentioned. “The invasion is coming over our southern border. The 50 states have a common enemy, and that enemy is the Mexican drug cartels. They are waging war against our nation, and these cartels are perpetuating violence in each of our states, even right here in South Dakota.”
Border security has taken heart stage in quite a few states and in Congress, the place Republicans are conditioning support to Ukraine on a border security deal, and pushing to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. Even President Joe Biden has mentioned that he would shut down the border if given the emergency authority to achieve this, as a part of a deal.
South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem speaks at the Library of Congress on Feb. 17, 2023, in Washington, DC. Noem’s administration is trying at what extra it could actually do for Texas at the U.S.-Mexico border, resembling sending razor wire, and what authorized and personnel choices can be found to bolster border security. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Noem cited unlawful medicine, together with fentanyl, and violent crime affecting communities and tribal reservations. She mentioned she plans to “very publicly” assist the Oglala Sioux Tribe in its lawsuit filed final week towards the federal authorities, searching for extra regulation enforcement assist.
In November, Tribal President Frank Star Comes Out declared a state of emergency on the Pine Ridge Reservation due to growing crime. A federal decide dominated final yr that the federal authorities has a treaty obligation for regulation enforcement assist on the reservation, however he declined to rule on the funding degree the tribe sought.
The governor additionally mentioned South Dakota is prepared to ship razor wire to Texas. Her administration is “exploring various legal options on how we can support Texas and force (the) federal government to do their job,” she mentioned, and in addition is contemplating choices to present personnel.
Democratic state Sen. Shawn Bordeaux mentioned Noem “should focus on South Dakota.”
He added, “I think it’s a shame that she’s using the Mexican border for her own political purposes to try to advance her own agenda and align it with former President Trump, and she’s doing it at the expense of the tribes.”
He mentioned Noem has beforehand paid little consideration to space tribes throughout his 10 years as a state lawmaker and two years as a Rosebud Sioux tribal councilman.
“I’m just a little perturbed that we haven’t heard nothing until now and all of a sudden it’s a big thing in the middle of our session to interrupt us with whatever this ploy is to get a little more attention, in my view,” Bordeaux mentioned.
Republican House Majority Leader Will Mortenson mentioned Noem “painted a pretty vivid picture of the situation on the border and made a compelling case, need for action at the border.” Lawmakers will search for particular proposals she may put forth throughout the ongoing session, he mentioned.
Noem has deployed South Dakota National Guard troops 3 times to the border, together with final yr, and she or he has visited a number of instances, together with on Friday. Other Republican governors have deployed troops and visited the border too.
In 2021, Noem drew criticism for accepting a $1 million donation provided by a rich Republican donor to assist cowl the price of a two-month deployment of 48 troops to the U.S.-Mexico border in Texas.
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