Idaho Governor outlines plans to help secure U.S. -Mexico border
BOISE, IDAHO- Idaho will send five of their Idaho State Police troopers to Arizona to “help secure the United States-Mexico border and curb the flow of illegal drugs into Idaho,” Governor Brad Little announced Thursday.
Little says the decision to send ISP personnel to the border is a result of what he calls “failed Biden-Harris immigration policies.”
“The crisis at the Unites States-Mexico border and the alarming bump in illegal drug activity are direct results of failed policies of the Biden-Harris administration that harm the people of Idaho,” Governor Little said.
Little says that drug seizures for meth, fentanyl, and heroin have “doubled” since President Biden took office. Data from U.S. Customs and Border protection shows that last year, 828,658 pounds of illegal drugs (including marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl) were seized at the border. Through May of this year, they report 463,064 pounds of these substances seized.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Arizona Governor Doug Ducey sent a letter to the nation’s governors in June pleading for extra manpower through other states’ law enforcement agencies to help secure the border. Governor Little responded by committing his support to their efforts.
Idaho will send a specialized team of five ISP troopers on a 21-day mission commencing July 6 to assist Arizona State Police with intelligence gathering and investigative work related to drug interdiction at the border.
“We did our homework and worked closely with Arizona State Police to determine the true needs and how Idaho can help in a meaningful, impactful way without compromising public safety here at home. States frequently assist each other through the emergency response system with fires, floods, and other emergencies, and this situation is no different,” Governor Little said. “Our specialized team will help curb the flow of illegal drug smuggling and organized crime into our country and our state, and the troopers will gain valuable hands-on training that will improve their ability to serve the people of Idaho when they return.”
Governor Little joins Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, and Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts in lending support.
