California Governor Gavin Newsom announced on social media that the state has doubled the number of National Guard troops at the U.S. Southern Border.
This statement was made alongside a video posted from the San Ysidro Port of Entry where he was purportedly meeting with both the National Guard and Customs and Border Patrol agents.
Correspondent Reports Lack of National Guard Presence
Fox News correspondent Matt Finn reported from the field, stating, “We’re at the CA border right now in Jacumba, Governor Newsom. We see migrants illegally crossing all hours of the day. Haven’t seen a single CA National Guard over the past week.”
This observation questions the accuracy of Newsom’s claims about the National Guard’s presence.
Newsom’s Address on Social Media
In a video posted to social media, Governor Newsom detailed his visit to the San Ysidro Port of Entry, saying, “We have 390 National Guardsmen and women that have been working, particularly as it relates to fentanyl, here in the state of California.”
He emphasized the ongoing efforts and the need for additional resources.
California Is Having a Budget Crisis
One of the main issues right now is California’s budget crisis. The Golden State is currently in a budget deficit, and it is likely to remain in one for at least the next two years.
This means that many services across the state will be cut or have their funding reduced, with public safety at the top of the list.
California’s Cuts to the Police and Prisons
Two of the main areas set to be cut from the California budget are police and prisons. This includes a $97 million cut from trial courts and a $80 million cut from the Corrections and Rehabilitation budget.
This is because Newsom’s main commitment at the moment is on the climate, so anything not related to this is at risk of getting cut.
The Governor’s Statement on Resources
Governor Newsom argued that more resources are necessary to support border efforts and criticized political opposition.
He said, “Everybody needs more resources, and the Republican Party has been consistently standing in the way of providing the resources to support the men and women working hard, not only here at the border, but throughout the state of California and this country.”
Newsom Accused of Gaslighting
Some social media users have accused Newsom of gaslighting people due to his blatant lies regarding the National Guard.
One commenter replied to his post stating that Newsom can’t have controlled the border with the national guard as over 8 million people have been able to enter California from Mexico.
Journalistic Skepticism Over Newsom’s Claims
Fox News national correspondent Bill Melugin expressed skepticism regarding Newsom’s assertion.
Reporting from Jacumba, he noted, “I have not seen a single California National Guard soldier in Jacumba,” contradicting the governor’s statements about increased troop numbers.
Newsom Focused on Drugs, Not Illegal Aliens
Newsom’s deputy communications director, Brandon Richards, responded to Melugin and made the point that he is focused on drugs and not illegal aliens.
Richards also made the point that Melugin’s border control contact had verified this fact and that had the blocked border control bill gone into law, these problems wouldn’t be happening.
Melugin’s Response to Richards
Not one to let things go, Melugin responded to Richards’ claims and made the point that not enough is being done in California to prevent illegal crossings.
Melugin also boldly claimed that San Diego is leading the nation in illegal crossings across the US and that no effort is being made to deter these crossings anywhere in California.
Increase on Seized Fentanyl
In 2023, the California guard was able to seize 5.8 million pills that contained fentanyl.
The overall amount of this equaled to 62,224 pounds of fentanyl, which is a 1066% increase on 2021.
Fentanyl Causes Deaths by Overdose
Fentanyl is one of the largest contributors to drug overdose in the US. The overall total is 70% of the 100,000 drug overdose deaths in the US each year.
This is why the US is keen on finding people who have fentanyl and disposing of it so they can’t overdose on it.
Taking Drugs off the Streets
Newsom’s main priority in employing more National Guard troops is to take drugs off the streets. It is also to ensure the safety of communities across the Golden State.
This means working at state, local, and federal levels to try and make this happen and to prevent people from smuggling illegal drugs into the country.
Governor’s Office Bold Claim on Troop Numbers
In his video, Governor Newsom claimed that California had doubled the number of National Guard troops at the border.
This specific statement has been met with criticism and scrutiny, particularly from journalists observing the situation firsthand at the border.
Reports of Overwhelmed Border Patrol
Bill Melugin reported significant challenges faced by the Border Patrol, with migrants wandering on highways and managing their own transportation via services like Lyft while waiting to be picked up.
This situation highlights the strain on resources and the complexity of border management.
Border Patrol’s Reaction to Newsom’s Post
Reacting to Governor Newsom’s posts, a Border Patrol agent in Jacumba responded with laughter.
They commented, “CA isn’t doing s— to help them with illegal crossings there, and any soldiers that they see there are National Guard from other states working w/ DHS under federal Title 10 order.”
Clarification on National Guard Deployment
Further clarifying the situation, Melugin added, “He said CA soldiers are helping with drug interdiction at ports of entry – not the mass crossing hot spots in Jacumba. If the Governor’s office has any images of CA National Guard helping Border Patrol in Jacumba, I’m happy to update.”
Is Newsom’s strategy misplaced concerning the urgent issues?
Over 8000 Illegal Immigrants Arrested
While Newsom may be focusing on illegal drug smuggling, the problem with illegal immigrants crossing the US-Mexico border continues to worsen.
Between May 29 and June 4, 2024, alone, almost 8500 illegal immigrants were arrested for trying to enter San Diego. This only goes to show just how much an increased border force focus on illegal immigrants is needed.
Critique of Newsom’s Approach
Tomi Lahren, a host on OutKick, criticized Governor Newsom’s actions as a “vanity shot” at the border, calling them a “bold-faced lie” to his constituents and the American people.
This suggests that his portrayal of the situation might not align with the reality on the ground.
Newsom Offered a Border Tour
Due to Newsom’s claims, Manny Bayon, the President of the Border Patrol in San Diego, has offered to give him a tour to see what is actually happening.
Bayon also said that border patrol needs help in slowing the flow of illegal immigrants, as it lets others across the world believe that California is the place for them to go to if they want to get into the US.
Newsom Taking Action Near an Election
With the US presidential election coming up in November 2024, Newsom has been accused of only now taking action to try and save face beforehand.
This criticism came from California Assembly Republican leader James Gallagher, claiming that thousands of Americans have died from fentanyl poisoning and that Newsom could have saved those lives if he had acted sooner.
$20 Billion Border and Immigration Deal
In February 2024, a bipartisan group of lawmakers negotiated a $20 billion border and immigration deal to improve these services.
However, Republicans weren’t happy with this deal and blasted it pretty much immediately after it was announced because Donald Trump did not like the compromise legislation.
The Scope of National Guard Activities
The Governor’s office insists that the National Guard is active and contributing significantly at the border, especially concerning drug interdiction.
This statement aims to affirm the governor’s earlier claims about the roles and effectiveness of the deployed National Guard troops.
Newsom’s Office Stands By His Words
In response to the ongoing controversy and the conflicting reports from journalists, a spokesperson for Newsom’s office told Fox News Digital, “The Governor’s words speak for themselves.”
This reaffirms the governor’s stance and his administration’s commitment to the statements he has made regarding border security and National Guard deployment.
