Hunter Statement on National Guard Southwest Border Deployment

Statement

Congressman Duncan Hunter made the following statement today in response to reports that 1,200 National Guard troops will soon deploy to the U.S.-Mexico border:

"A greater security presence on the U.S.-Mexico border is essential to controlling drug violence, smuggling and other unlawful activity. Personnel alone cannot solve the recurring problems on the border but, with the added help of National Guard troops and resources, the Border Patrol will be in a much better position to do its job.

"Gaining full control of the border will take an integrated approach that incorporates infrastructure, technology and manpower, including more agents in areas of the border that are prone to violence, smuggling and entry by illegal immigrants. The addition of National Guard troops certainly adds to our enforcement efforts in the short-term. This deployment, however, will not address the long-standing challenges on the border and therefore does not supplant the need for comprehensively strengthening enforcement and security.

"While the National Guard troops involved in this deployment appear to be taking more of a support role, it is still important that they are provided with clear rules of engagement to appropriately defend themselves under any circumstance."

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