Virginia, West Virginia and South Carolina send National Guard troops to southern border

Virginia, West Virginia and South Carolina announced Wednesday that they will send state resources and law enforcement to Texas to help control immigration.

"Porous borders further allow national security threats, violent criminals, and human traffickers to cross into the United States with impunity," wrote Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin in an executive order authorizing the dispatch of 100 national guardsmen and 21 Virginia support staff members to the southern border. "All states have become border states."

Executive Order Glenn Young... by Santiago Adolfo Ospital

South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster announced that he will also send troops to The Lone Star State to "help hold the line on the Southern border." Although he did not offer further details for the moment, he did justify the decision by arguing that it was necessary to defend the "safety and security of South Carolinians."

Up to 50 other troops will join those from South Carolina and Virginia. They will be soldiers from the West Virginia National Guard, according to a statement from Gov. Jim Justice's office.

The day before, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds had also ordered, for the second time, the deployment of state forces. Reynolds said she will send 100 national guardsmen and 30 Department of Public Safety personnel.

Request for assistance

In early May, Texas Governor Greg Abbott sent a letter to fellow governors asking for their help in controlling the immigration crisis following the end of Title 42.

Florida Governor and GOP primary candidate Ron DeSantis was among the first to send assistance. From then to now, at least eight governors have responded with some kind of assistance to Abbott's plea, according to the AP.

All deployed troops will work with Texas law enforcement for a period of at least one month.