FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 19, 2023

Contact: Ian Fury

Gov. Noem and Colleagues Oppose Biden’s Border Policies

PIERRE, S.D. – Today, Governor Kristi Noem and 24 of her fellow Republican governors urged President Biden to address the crisis happening at the U.S. southern border. You can read the letter here.

“The crisis at the southern border extends to every state. As a result of [President Biden’s] policies which incentivize illegal immigration, our states are carrying the burden of both the years-long surge in illegal border crossing and cartels’ coordinated trafficking of drugs and human beings,” wrote Governor Noem and her colleagues. “States are on the front lines…As governors, we call on [President Biden] to provide honest, accurate, detailed information on where the migrants admitted at the southern border are being relocated in the United States, in addition to comprehensive data on asylum claim timelines and qualification rates, and successful deportations.”

Governor Noem recently joined a border security press conference hosted by Texas Governor Greg Abbott in Eagle Pass, TX. Governor Noem and four of her Republican Governor colleagues highlighted the total breakdown of the rule of law at America’s southern border. While in Eagle Pass, Governor Noem took an aerial tour of the southern border.

“[The Biden] Administration can no longer ignore simple facts that threated our citizens’ public safety and strain their public resources…Though we remain committed to addressing these issues, states cannot afford to respond to a challenge of such magnitude while the federal government continues to turn a blind eye,” continued Governor Noem and the other governors. “As we have made clear repeatedly, every state is now a border state.”

Two years ago, Governor Noem was the first governor to send National Guard troops to help secure the southern border. The southern border is a warzone – that’s why Governor Noem recently sent more soldiers to fight for our country.

Governor Noem was joined by the following Republican governors in issuing the statement: Montana Governor Greg Gianforte, Alabama Governor Kay Ivey, Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy, Arkansas Governor Sarah Sanders, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, Idaho Governor Brad Little, Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves, Missouri Governor Mike Parson, Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen, Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo, New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu, North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt, South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, Texas Governor Greg Abbott, Utah Governor Spencer Cox, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin, West Virginia Governor Jim Justice, and Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon.

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