CASPER, Wyo. — Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon and the Wyoming Office of Homeland Security have been “in active negotiations to deploy assets” to assist Arizona and Texas in efforts to secure the United States–Mexico border.
The governor’s office said on Wednesday that Wyoming offered to provide aerial assets valued at up to $250,000 to assist at the border. However, during negotiations, “it was determined that these particular assets may not precisely match the needs of the requested border mission.”
Gordon’s office says the governor continues to explore ways Wyoming can help provide assistance in response to an assistance request from Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Arizona Governor Doug Ducey.
“It is absolutely essential that our nation’s borders are secure,” Gordon said in Wednesday’s press release. “Law-enforcement issues at the border and uncontrolled illegal immigration threaten every part of our nation, including Wyoming. It is clear that the Biden Administration is not addressing this problem with the level of seriousness it requires. Wyoming is ready and willing to provide support to address this critical issue.”
“I recognize the serious challenges these two Governors in particular, but all of us together, are facing because of the mismanagement of our border under President Biden. We will continue to evaluate available resources to support this effort to protect our country without compromising public safety here in Wyoming.”
Other Republican governors have also announced efforts in recent weeks to support efforts at the U.S.-Mexico border. South Dakota Republican Governor Kristi Noem announced during the last week in June that she planned to send South Dakota National Guard troops to the United States–Mexico border to “help secure” the area.
The governors blame the Biden administration for an increase in border crossings recently.
While the an upswing in migrants crossing the border from Mexico is one of the most contentious political topics, immigration experts say the situation is more nuanced than just an administration change. Numbers decreased dramatically during Trump’s immigration crackdown, but were also affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Increased political and economic unrest in counties such as Venezuela is adding to the problem, forcing desperate migrants to look for better options.
Under pressure from both Republicans and Democrats, Vice President Kamala Harris recently visited the border in El Paso, Texas, where some 1,600 unaccompanied children are reportedly being held in deteriorating conditions.
Abbott has promised to keep building Trump’s border wall using private funds.
