National Guard Border Mission funding approved by state council
Apr 30, 2021, 12:59 PM
(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File)
PHOENIX — The Arizona State Emergency Council approved Thursday nearly $2.8 million to help fund the Arizona National Guard border mission.
The funding will support the deployment of the National Guard until passage of the $25 million legislative appropriation to fund Gov. Doug Ducey’s Declaration of Emergency.
“I’ve met with law enforcement officials, local leaders, and citizens in our border communities — and they’ve all voiced the same message to me: they need support,” Gov. Ducey said in a press release.
The council also approved an additional $200,000 for the Search and Rescue Fund to support county sheriffs.
Ducey issued a Declaration of Emergency on April 20, while announcing the deployment of the National Guard to the state’s southern border to support local law enforcement efforts as the nation experiences a rapid increase in apprehensions at the border.
The Arizona National Guard will help with medical operations in detention centers, install and maintain border cameras and analyze satellite imagery for current trends in smuggling corridors.