First Arizona National Guard troops to be stationed on border later this week
Apr 11, 2018, 3:22 PM
(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File)
(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File)
PHOENIX — Dozens of Arizona National Guard members will head to the U.S.-Mexico border later this week as part of President Donald Trump’s latest border security strategy.
Maj. Gen. Michael McGuire, the adjutant general for the Arizona National Guard, said 60 National Guard troops will be in place in Nogales on Friday.
McGuire said the mission, formally called “Operation Guardian Shield,” will extend through Sept. 30, 2018.
At that time, he added, the federal government will determine whether it has the budget and whether the mission is necessary to continue.
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Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey had pledged to send 338 troops to the border, but McGuire said that number could soon increase.
McGuire said the current available funding could support the deployment of up to 4,000 troops in four border states: Arizona, California, New Mexico and Texas.
California Gov. Jerry Brown said Wednesday that the state would deploy 400 National Guard troops at Trump’s request, but would not send all to the U.S.-Mexico border and none would enforce federal immigration enforcement.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott told San Antonio radio station KTSA that he would add about 300 troops a week until the total number reaches at least 1,000 troops.
New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez’s office said that more than 80 troops would deploy later this week. They will be the first of an expected 250 Guard members from New Mexico to serve on the border.
The National Guard troops in Arizona would provide manpower and resources to support agencies in stopping the flow of criminals, drugs, weapons and ammunition that are trafficked into Arizona, according to Ducey.
Ducey also said the troops would not have law enforcement powers.
But McGuire told “Arizona Horizon,” an Arizona PBS affiliate show, on Tuesday that some of the 338 guardsmen and women being deployed would be armed for self-defense.
McGuire added that the members would mainly be called on for reconnaissance and operations support.
Their tasks would include monitoring remote areas, providing air transportation for humanitarian aid or Border Patrol agents and fixing sections of fencing.
While none of the guards will be required to be armed, the decision to arm them would be based on the mission of the assignment, state statutes and overall needs, McGuire said Wednesday.
“If [they] feel in their best interest to be armed, we will not inhibit that,” McGuire said. “It’s not required based on the mission.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
