- South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem is considering increasing support for border security in Texas, including razor wire and the deployment of patrol agents.
- In her speech to Congress, Noem criticized the situation at the U.S.-Mexico border, focusing on the threat posed by Mexican drug cartels.
- She has previously deployed the South Dakota National Guard to the border and accepted a $1 million donation for the 2021 border deployment.
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem said Wednesday that her administration is considering increasing support for Texas' efforts to deter migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border, including using razor wire and deploying more security guards. Ta.
The two-term Republican governor slammed conditions at the border in a requested speech to a joint session of Congress on Monday after visiting the border last week. Noem, once considered a potential 2024 presidential candidate, has focused on the border situation during her tenure.
“The United States of America is in an age of invasion,” Noem said. “Invasion is looming across our southern border. The 50 states have a common enemy, and that enemy is the Mexican drug cartels. They are waging war against our country, and these Cartels perpetuate violence in every state of our country, and they continue to do so here in South Dakota. ”
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Border security is at the center of many states and Congresses, with Republicans conditioning aid to Ukraine on border security agreements and pushing to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. Even President Joe Biden has said he would close the border if given emergency powers as part of a deal.
South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem speaks at the Library of Congress in Washington, DC, on February 17, 2023. Noem's administration is considering what more it can do at the U.S.-Mexico border, such as sending razor wire to Texas, and what legal and personnel options are available to strengthen border security. . (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Noem cited illegal drugs such as fentanyl and violent crimes that impact communities and tribal reservations. She said she would “openly” support the lawsuit the Oglala Sioux Tribe filed against the federal government last week and seek more support from law enforcement.
In November, Tribal Chairman Frank Starr Coming Out declared a state of emergency on the Pine Ridge Reservation, citing increased crime. A federal judge ruled last year that the federal government has a treaty obligation to support law enforcement on reservations, but declined to rule on the level of funding the tribes had sought.
The governor also said South Dakota is willing to send razor wire to Texas. The administration is “considering various legal options for how we can assist the state of Texas and allow the federal government to carry out its mission,” including options to provide personnel. said.
Democratic state Sen. Sean Bordeaux said Noem should “focus on South Dakota.”
“It is unfortunate that she is using the Mexican border for political purposes to advance her own agenda and align herself with former President Trump, and to do so at the expense of tribes. I think so,” he added.
He said Noem has paid little attention to area tribes during her 10 years as a state representative and two years as a member of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe.
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“I'm a little upset that I haven't heard anything before, but I think it's a big deal to suddenly interrupt us in the middle of a session with some ploy to get a little more attention.” ” Bordeaux said.
House Republican Majority Leader Will Mortenson said Noem “painted a very clear picture of the situation at the border and made a convincing case for the need for action at the border.” She said lawmakers will consider specific proposals she may introduce during the ongoing session.
Noem has sent the South Dakota National Guard to the border three times, including last year, and has visited the border several times, including on Friday. Other Republican governors have also sent troops to visit the border.
In 2021, Noem accepted a $1 million donation from a wealthy Republican donor to help pay for a two-month deployment of 48 troops to the U.S.-Mexico border in Texas. invited criticism.
