General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsNewsom blasts 'political theater,' pulls hundreds from border duty
Jeff Daniels
Published 1 Hour Ago
Updated 31 Mins Ago
... "This crisis on the border is a manufactured crisis," Newsom told reporters. "We are not interested in participating in this political theater."
The decision to pull 260 of the state's 360 troops from the border follows Trump's State of the Union address last week in which he repeated concerns about a border crisis. Newsom's action is another sign the new governor, after just over a month in office, is taking a more activist approach when it comes to Trump's policies than California's previous governor, Jerry Brown.
Last April, Brown agreed to send about 400 of the state's troops to the border at the request of Trump, who cited "a crisis" at the border due to a "combination of illegal drugs, dangerous gang activity, and extensive illegal immigration."
Newsom signed an order Monday to withdraw 260 troops in a challenge to Trump's original request. The remaining 100 troops will conduct operations primarily around ports of entry, supporting federal efforts to combat drug and gun trafficking ...
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/02/11/california-governor-blasts-trump-political-theater-pulls-border-troops.html
struggle4progress
(118,278 posts)FEBRUARY 11, 2019 / 7:14 AM / UPDATED AN HOUR AGO
... Newsom said most of the roughly 360 National Guard members deployed to the border would be reassigned to other duties in the state, with about 100 remaining behind as part of a task force targeting drug trafficking and cartels.
This whole border issue is a manufactured crisis. We are not interested in participating in this political theater, Newsom said at an afternoon news conference in Sacramento.
The governor, a Democrat who took office in January, said border crossings were at their lowest level since 1971 and that the states undocumented population had dropped to a more than 10-year low.
This is pure politics, period full stop, he said ...
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-immigration-california/california-pulls-most-national-guard-troops-from-us-mexico-border-idUSKCN1Q01AJ
struggle4progress
(118,278 posts)February 11, 20198:39 AM ET
BEN ADLER
... Earlier this month, New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham ordered the majority of her state's National Guard troops at the border to withdraw.
Each of the 50 states, three territories and the District of Columbia maintain National Guard units. During peacetime, the Guard is under the command of each state governor and adjutant general and typically is called upon to respond to emergencies and natural disasters. In times of war, the president can place the Guard under military command.
The recent National Guard deployment to the Southern border is something of a hybrid. Federal authorities asked governors to provide Guard troops to assist with border security. The federal government is paying the cost of deployment. But the Guard troops remain under the authority of their state governor and adjutant general ...
https://www.npr.org/2019/02/11/693439909/california-gov-newsom-mostly-ends-states-national-guard-border-deployment
Wounded Bear
(58,647 posts)struggle4progress
(118,278 posts)By Lindsey Bever February 11 at 11:08 AM
... Newson will explain his reasoning Tuesday during his State of the State address, according to the Los Angeles Times and the Associated Press, which obtained excerpts of his speech. The governor plans to reassign the soldiers to help with wildfire prevention and combat drug smuggling across the state, according to local reports ...
https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2019/02/11/california-governor-plans-pull-national-guard-troops-states-southern-border/?utm_term=.5cc359f897e0
struggle4progress
(118,278 posts)By JAZMINE ULLOA and TARYN LUNA
FEB 11, 2019 | 4:25 PM
SACRAMENTO
As a second partial government shutdown looms in Washington over border discussions, Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday signed an order to withdraw and redeploy roughly 360 National Guard members from Californias southern boundary with Mexico, repudiating President Trumps characterization of a recent influx of Central American refugees and migrants as a national security crisis ...
A separate letter signed by the governor Monday requests funding from the federal government to add at least 150 troops to the California National Guard's Counterdrug Task Force, which helps local law enforcement agencies identify and seize illegal marijuana farms that the governor said harm the environment and create fire hazards.
The announcement comes just one day before the governor delivers his first State of the State address Tuesday, setting the stage for Newsom to counter Trumps State of the Union address from last week. Released excerpts of his speech echoed his remarks Monday to reporters ...
https://www.latimes.com/politics/la-pol-ca-gavin-newsom-california-national-guard-withdraw-immigration-20190211-story.html