The head of the union that represents more than 15,000 Border Patrol agents called President Trump’s decision to send National Guard troops to the U.S.-Mexico border a “colossal waste of resources.”
“We have seen no benefit,” National Border Patrol Council President Brandon Judd said in an interview with the Los Angeles Times.
“When I found out the National Guard was going to be on the border, I was extremely excited,” he continued, noting that deployments under previous administrations have proven to be beneficial for the Border Patrol.
But so far in the Trump administration’s deployment, the union chief said “that has not happened at all.”
The criticism from Judd is a striking departure for the group, which endorsed Trump for the Republican presidential nomination. The endorsement marked the first time the council had endorsed a presidential candidate.
Judd said that when members of the National Guard were previously sent to the southern border, troops helped to alleviate Border Patrol’s workload by assuming posts on the front lines. During those deployments, troops could only serve in an “observe and report” role, but still helped with patrols.
“They were allowed to do a lot more than they are under the Trump administration,” Judd said. “They were allowed to go in lookout and observation posts. They were allowed to be out grading the roads and mending fences. They were allowed to be our eyes and ears, freeing us up.”
But with the current deployment, National Guard troops are more restricted, the union head said.
“They’re not allowed to be in the public eye. They’re not allowed to be in our lookout and observation posts, even in Texas,” he said.
The president in April ordered National Guard troops to deploy to the U.S.-Mexico border to assist Border Patrol in the absence of congressional action on immigration.
Governors committed to sending 1,600 National Guard members to the states along the U.S.-Mexico border, and as of May 9,775 troops have been deployed.
Trump approved up to 4,000 National Guard members to head to the border.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection and defense officials said this month Border Patrol agents have apprehended an additional 1,600 people trying to cross the southern border due to the deployment of National Guard troops.
The Department of Homeland Security said the effort to send members of the National Guard to the border has so far been successful. As of May 25, for example, troops have been involved in 4,116 total apprehensions, 1,182 total turn backs, and 3,486 pounds of marijuana seized.
“While the National Guard deployment has not yet reached full capacity, it has clearly and unquestionably been a success with thousands of additional apprehensions and millions of dollars of drugs kept out of our country,” Katie Waldman, a spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security said. “The third request for assistance to deploy additional Guardsmen in support of the mission to secure the southern border was recently authorized and is being implemented. More help is on the way.”
