Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers, a Democrat, is withdrawing more than 100 Wisconsin National Guard personnel from the southwest border where they have been conducting border security missions.
“There is simply not ample evidence to support the president’s contention of a national security crisis at our southwestern border,” Evers tweeted Monday. “Therefore, there is no justification for the ongoing presence of Wisconsin National Guard personnel at the border.”
There is simply not ample evidence to support the president’s contention of a national security crisis at our southwestern border. Therefore, there is no justification for the ongoing presence of Wisconsin National Guard personnel at the border. https://t.co/ggPNa10zWW
— Governor Tony Evers (@GovEvers) February 25, 2019
National Guard personnel from Wisconsin were first ordered to support the Department of Homeland Security in border security operations in April 2018 and arrived at the U.S.-Mexico border in June 2018. Currently, 112 National Guard troops from Wisconsin are stationed there.
Evers’ announcement comes after California Gov. Gavin Newsom and New Mexico Gov. Michelle Grisham — both Democrats — announced this month National Guard personnel from their respective states would be withdrawn from the border. While Newsom ordered all California National Guard troops be removed from the area, Grisham allowed some New Mexico National Guard personnel to remain in place to assist with humanitarian efforts.
Trump declared a national emergency at the border on Feb. 15, after Congress refused to give him the funding he had demanded to build a border wall.
Sixteen states filed a lawsuit last week against the Trump administration over the order that would divert billions of dollars from military construction budget for the project.
