A Safer Border – a Safer South Dakota

 
By: Gov. Larry Rhoden
May 23, 2025  

Former Governor Noem would often say, “What you see with your eyes, you carry in your heart.” I knew just how much of a challenge it is to secure America’s Southern Border – and how utterly the previous administration in Washington failed in that regard. But it’s hard to fully appreciate the challenge without seeing it for yourself.

I visited our South Dakota National Guard soldiers stationed at the Southern Border in Eagle Pass, TX. The biggest eye opener was just how vast the challenge is. It’s incredible that the Trump Administration and Secretary Noem have secured the border so quickly – and I’m proud that the men and women of our own SDNG are working alongside them.

I received multiple briefings and had the opportunity to survey the border from a variety of perspectives. First, I met with our 109^th Engineer Battalion and got a briefing of their mission, which they’ve been on since this past fall. They were originally stationed in southern California, but they moved to the Texas border after President Trump took office. Their mission has been a night and day difference since that transition. Now, they’re able to actually protect the territorial integrity of the United States.

Our guardsmen (and some from Wisconsin) showed me the Picnic Observation Outpost near the Rio Grande. From this vantage point, they are able to see any migrants crossing a long stretch of river, and their surveillance is supplemented by impressive technology.

We then headed down to the river where the Texas Department of Public Safety hosted us for an airboat tour of the Rio Grande. This tour took off from Shelby Park, which became a flashpoint in 2023 when as many as 4,000 illegal aliens crossed the border daily at this location alone.

Texas DPS then gave us a helicopter tour, which included the border wall that was constructed near town. A previous South Dakota National Guard deployment was working alongside Texas to construct border wall in this area just last year, and it looks like they did great work!

Finally, we received a briefing from Border Patrol at the Del Rio Sector. They outlined their actions to stop drugs, human trafficking, and other illicit activities from crossing the border. I noticed how high their spirits are – and they confirmed that their morale has risen now that they’re back on mission under President Trump and Secretary Noem. They’re finally back on offense to defend our people from the criminal cartels. And they were grateful for the support of our National Guard soldiers.

In the last few years, every state became a border state because of how wide open the Southern Border became. That situation has clearly turned around – I saw the evidence with my own eyes. I’m glad that Secretary Noem is doing the hard work to achieve that alongside President Trump.

I spent six years in the South Dakota National Guard and discharged as a buck sergeant, so it is an incredible (and sometimes surreal) honor to serve as Commander in Chief of the South Dakota National Guard. I’m honored that our own soldiers are playing a role to keep South Dakotans – and all Americans – safe, strong, and free.

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