Private donor to fund South Dakota National Guard deployment to Texas border

Sioux Falls, South Dakota – South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem announced on Tuesday that she will be sending 50 South Dakota National Guard troops to the Texas-Mexico border, using funds given by a private donor.

South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem announced plans to deploy National Guard troops to the US-Mexico border.
South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem announced plans to deploy National Guard troops to the US-Mexico border.  © Collage: IMAGO / NurPhoto & IMAGO / UPI Photo

According to Politico, Noem has joined the ranks of Republican governors from Arkansas, Florida, Nebraska, and Iowa, who have all said they, too, plan to send officers to the border.

Rather than send state police, like other states, the Republican governor said South Dakota is sending the National Guard: "The border is a national security crisis that requires the kind of sustained response only the National Guard can provide. We should not be making our own communities less safe by sending our police or Highway Patrol to fix a long-term problem President Biden’s Administration seems unable or unwilling to solve."

When asked how expensive the deployment would be, Noem's spokesperson said he couldn't disclose the information for "security reasons."

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The money set aside for the job was donated by Willis and Reba Johnson’s Foundation. Willis Johnson, a Tennessee billionaire and founder of the online used car auction Copart, is known for making large donations to Republican politicians.

Johnson said, "America gave a lot of money to get that border wall done. It takes private individuals now," reportedly choosing to give the funds to South Dakota because Texas "has plenty of money."

Private funding for National Guard deployment is highly unusual

Law enforcement check and search migrants from Columbia after they turned themselves over to authorities at the US-Mexico border.
Law enforcement check and search migrants from Columbia after they turned themselves over to authorities at the US-Mexico border.  © IMAGO / ZUMA Wire

The fact that the deployment will be privately funded is highly unusual, and could set a dangerous precedent.

Typically, the federal government covers the costs of National Guard troop deployment to other states.

South Dakota National Guard Museum historian Duke Doering told Politico, "This kind of floors me, when you’re talking about a private donor sending the Guard, that doesn’t even make sense to me."

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Noem plans to send troops for 30 to 60 days, longer than the two-week deployments proposed by other states.

The news came just one day before Donald Trump's scheduled visit to the Texas-Mexico border, set for Wednesday.

The ex-president will be joined by Texas Governor Greg Abbott, who recently announced plans to complete the border wall using a $250-million state down payment in combination with private donations.

Cover photo: Collage: IMAGO / NurPhoto & IMAGO / UPI Photo

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