Louisiana Governor Sends 150 National Guard Troops to Texas Border Amid Congressional Gridlock

Louisiana is stepping up its efforts to address the ongoing crisis at the southern border by deploying 150 National Guard troops to Texas. 

This choice is a direct reaction to the perceived inadequacy of Congress in attaining a comprehensive border agreement, thereby compelling states to independently address the situation and assume responsibility for their own actions.

Governor Jeff Landry announced the deployment on Thursday in Baton Rouge, aligning Louisiana with a growing number of Republican-led states offering assistance to Texas in its struggle with the Biden administration over border security. In a pointed critique of federal inaction, Landry emphasized the need for states to act in the absence of effective leadership from Washington.

Landry claimed that states were forced to act because the federal government was unwilling to handle this problem. For what he perceived as sending a message to prospective illegal immigrants that crossing the Rio Grande would be a simple route into the country, he attacked the Biden administration.

Louisiana’s Response to Border Crisis

The deployment of Louisiana Guard troops, expected to take place in March at an estimated cost of $3 million, is contingent upon approval from the state’s Republican-controlled Legislature. 

The director of the Louisiana Military Department, Brigadier General Michael Greer, has stated that these forces will not be able to hold migrants.

Louisiana’s decision follows similar actions by Florida, which has dispatched approximately 1,000 National Guard members to the border. Texas Governor Greg Abbott has been embroiled in legal battles with the Biden administration over its efforts to stem the flow of illegal immigrants into the United States.

Republicans, both within Texas and nationally, have lambasted President Biden for what they perceive as a failure to address the surge of migrants entering the country. The issue has become a focal point of political contention, with border security emerging as a key rallying cry for conservative politicians and voters alike.

As states like Louisiana take matters into their own hands, the debate over immigration policy and border security continues to intensify, underscoring the deep political divisions on this contentious issue.