WASHINGTON — New Mexico Congresswoman Yvette Herrell sent a letter to Governor Michelle Grisham requesting that she deploy New Mexico's National Guard to the southern border.
Herrell represents the southern portion of New Mexico, including Las Cruces and Dona Ana County.
Herrell along with several other representatives stated in the letter that they want troops to be sent to the border to help address the "record-breaking Biden Border Crisis."
Part of the letter to Grisham reads:
We write to call on you to deploy the New Mexico National Guard to the southern border. Their presence is essential to confront the current crisis at our border and help reduce the transmission of COVID-19 from migrants entering our country. We are disappointed that you are placing mask mandates not supported by science on children at school and further restricting businesses while simultaneously leaving New Mexicans unprotected from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic south of our border."
"Groups of unaccompanied children, family units, and single adults are crossing into New Mexico every day. This daily activity is endangering and putting a greater strain on border communities. We call on you to visit the border in Luna and Hidalgo Counties with Representative Herrell. You will see how this situation is affecting our farmers, ranchers, and ordinary citizens and understand that this affects all Americans. Your disinterest in the border crisis, supporting border communities, or even visiting the border is disheartening
July set a new record for the number of unaccompanied children at the U.S.-Mexico border with 19,000, according to the Associated Press. The amount included the number of children traveling alone, picked up by U.S. immigration authorities.
The previous record was set in March at 18,890, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
Rep. Brian Babin and Rep. Troy Nehls of Texas, Rep. Bob Good of Virginia, Rep. Any Biggs of Arizona, and Rep. Gregory Steube of Florida also supported the letter.
Herrell introduced legislation, the PAUSE Act, which would keep Title 42 border health protections in place.
She also introduced legislation that requires background checks of all illegal border crossers detained by CBP.
A third immigration bill, introduced by Herrell, the Repaying the Rural Borderlands Act, reimburses ranchers, farmers, homeowners, small businesses, and other property owners for the cost of damage or personal harm caused by illegal immigrants on or to their property. The legislation would also compensate state and local governments for the cost of feeding, housing, and transporting aliens upon release from federal custody.
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