Reynolds to send Iowa troops, law enforcement to Texas for border security

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds announced Tuesday that she plans to send about 100 Iowa National Guard soldiers and 30 law enforcement officers to Texas to assist with border security between the United States and Mexico.

The Iowa National Guard troops and state law enforcement personnel would deploy for separate 30-day stints in August and September, respectively, according to Reynolds’ office.

It is the second time in a two-year span that Reynolds has directed state troops and law enforcement to Texas. In 2021, up to 30 Department of Public Safety officers and 24 Iowa National Guard members assisted in law enforcement efforts at the border in response to requests from fellow Republican Govs. Greg Abbott of Texas and Doug Ducey of Arizona and the federal government, costing the state about $300,000.

Reynolds defended the decision by stating border security is a federal responsibility that has not been adequately addressed by Democratic President Joe Biden’s administration.

“The consequences of an open border can be felt across the country as fentanyl and the cartels threaten our communities,” Reynolds said in a statement. “While the White House chooses to do nothing, Republican Governors stand ready to protect our states’ interests.”

During the first deployment, Iowa troopers assisted with 240 criminal arrests and 51 vehicle pursuits. Troopers also seized 18 firearms, $1.7 million dollars, 948 pounds of marijuana and 37 pounds of cocaine and methamphetamine, according to the governor’s office.

“Our officers experienced firsthand the challenges of a chaotic border and provided much needed aid and assistance to our colleagues at the Texas Department of Public Safety,” Iowa Department of Public Safety Commissioner Stephan K. Bayens said in a statement. “Their need for help is even greater today, and we stand ready to support them without compromising our duties to our home state.”

Asked how much the planned deployment is expected to cost the state, and whether Texas would reimburse Iowa for the expense, Reynolds’ Deputy Communications Director Kollin Crompton said the governor’s office “still is working out operational details at this time” with Texas officials.

A spokesperson for the Iowa National Guard said it is in the planning phase of determining what its mission will be and which service members will be deployed.

The Iowa National Guard — comprised of the Iowa Army National Guard and the Iowa Air National Guard — has about 9,000 members. The guard employs more than 6,500 part-time service members and more than 2,200 full-time members and civilians.

“Once we know our specific mission, we’ll know which service members are trained and qualified to act on this mission,” Jackie Schmillen, Iowa National Guard public affairs director, said Tuesday.

Major Gen. Stephen Osborn, adjutant general of the Iowa National Guard, in a statement said “units stand ready to deploy and conduct missions that are needed to secure our border and safeguard the American people."

Osborn and Schmillen said the deployment will not affect the Guard’s ability to aid in protecting Iowans and the nation.

“We will be ready to serve our state just as we would be with any other deployment,” Schmillen said. “We have deployments regularly as part of what we do … so this is just another opportunity to show how we can serve our state and nation.

“We will always be ready to serve our state … should we be called upon and critical need arise.”

Deployment follows end of pandemic-era migrant rule

The announcement comes after Abbott requested aid in a letter to his fellow governors this month, asking them to send available law enforcement to the border after the end of Title 42, a pandemic-era rule that allowed the federal government to expel migrants more easily.

In the letter, Abbott, a Republican, said Texas had apprehended more than 376,000 migrants and made 28,000 arrests since the March 2021 inception of Operation Lone Star.

“Join us in the mission to defend our national sovereignty and territorial integrity and send all available law enforcement personnel and resources to the Texas-Mexico border to serve alongside our thousands of Texas National Guard soldiers and Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) troopers,” Abbott wrote in the letter.

Daily migrant crossings reached a record-high of more than 10,000 a day in the days leading up to the end of Title 42. But those crossings plummeted in the days after, to about 4,400 each day, according to CBS News.

New policies enacted by the Biden administration carry stricter asylum rules, and certain migrants found entering the country illegally will be banned from the U.S. for five years.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis — a Republican presidential contender who frequently emphasizes border security in Iowa visits — and Republican Idaho Gov. Brad Little directed resources and personnel to Texas this month, Abbott said in his letter.

Reynolds has been critical of Biden’s border policies, placing the blame on him for record-high crossings, humanitarian concerns and an increase in fentanyl coming into the U.S.

“Allowing (Title 42) to end without another solution in place is not humane; it is a dereliction of duty,” she said in a statement on May 11 when Title 42 ended. “Hundreds of thousands of pounds of fentanyl are entering our country, cartels are trafficking women and children, our border agents are overwhelmed, and thousands of migrants are setting up camp in towns along the border.”

Immigrants need resources, not criminalization, supporter says

Emily Sinnwell, a member of the Iowa City Catholic Worker House who recently spent five days at the Texas border, said Iowa should focus on welcoming immigrants to the state rather than criminalizing them. The organization provides shelter and resources to immigrants and refugees in Eastern Iowa.

“We need humanitarian relief for immigrants and refugees at the border,” she said in a statement. “We need to send buses to bring them back to Iowa and welcome them to our state. We have the resources and jobs to help and be a part of the solution, not criminalize people for fleeing violence, poverty, and war.”

Comments: (319) 398-8499; tom.barton@thegazette.com