DES MOINES – On Thursday, Gov. Kim Reynolds joined 25 other governors forming The American Governors’ Border Strike Force to help put an end to the crime stemming from the southern border.
The Border Strike Force, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), will facilitate the sharing of intelligence information across state lines to improve border enforcement. Information from criminal investigations across the nation will be shared to help combat drug trafficking, human smuggling and the prevalence of cartels and other drug organizations infiltrating the U.S. from the border.
“We can’t stand idle while President Biden does nothing to stop the crisis at our border, which is having devastating effects on every state,” Reynolds said.. “President Biden’s disastrous border policies and lack of leadership are destroying our country. Fentanyl and other major drugs are becoming increasingly prevalent in our communities, so we must step up and protect our states, our families, our children, and our country that we’ve worked so hard to keep safe.”
Under President Biden, more than 2,300,000 migrants have been encountered at the Southern Border. Last month, officials reported 221,303 migrant encounters at the Southern Border—the highest number of apprehensions in 22 years and the most in any single month during the Biden Administration.
Reynolds’ office states that state participation in the Border Strike Force requires no taxpayer funds or enforcement personnel. Information is already routinely gathered during investigations and will be shared as classified intelligence information with other state law enforcement agencies.
The coalition of 26 Republican governors on September 20 requested a meeting with Biden to discuss the border crisis. On October 6, they announced a ten-point plan to address the crisis at a press conference in Mission, Texas.
The following states have joined the Border Strike Force: Arizona, Texas, Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Indiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia and Wyoming.
