INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana National Guard is preparing to send troops to the U.S.-Mexico border in Texas.
They'll head there next month.
Governor Eric Holcomb said the deployment is "effective immediately" and will support the ongoing border security mission in Texas.
Friday's announcement came right after Holcomb's visit to the border earlier this week with 13 other governors.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said his border strategy using National Guard troops is working.
"This is an area where you would regularly see 2,000, 3,000, maybe 4,000 people crossing the border illegally. Since this park has been taken over by the National Guard, the daily average is under 10 a day," Abbott said of what's happened since Texas National Guard troops took over an area known to see the most people crossing into Texas from Mexico illegally.
In a statement issued Friday, Holcomb said 50 Indiana National Guard troops will be heading to the southern border after Abbott asked for help.
Indiana joins a number of states that are sending or have already sent National Guard troops to Texas.
"Federal negligence enforcing immigration law and the failure to secure our country's border jeopardizes national and economic security, affecting every state, including Indiana," Holcomb said in a statement he gave about the deployment.
But Democrats say "federal negligence" is a result of inaction by Congressional Republicans.
Holcomb's decision comes days after a bipartisan bill to address border security died in the U.S. Senate, with both of Indiana's senators voting no during a procedural vote that would have brought the bill to the floor.
The border security bill was criticized by former President Donald Trump.
Critics have accused the former president of pressuring Republicans to kill the border security bill, so it would continue to be an issue in the November election.
Indiana Democrats released a statement that said:
"In the very same week that Republicans killed a bipartisan border security bill in Congress, this disappointing move from the governor. Our state and country needs comprehensive, bipartisan immigration reform now - through Congressional action - to make us truly secure, not political stunts in an election year."
Indiana House Democratic Leader Phil GiaQuinta (D-Fort Wayne) echoed the Indiana Democrats' statement saying:
"Very clearly, hyper-partisan congressional politics are not solving Hoosiers' problems. Congressional Democrats offered a bipartisan solution to border security and immigration reform this week that Republicans rejected.
Senate Democratic leader Greg Taylor (D-Indianapolis) stated:
“I am very disappointed that Governor Holcomb has decided to cave to political gamesmanship and use Hoosier citizens and asylum seekers as his pawns. Individuals trying to seek asylum deserve real and thoughtful immigration reform solutions—not this disgraceful game. “Instead of encouraging his party members in Washington to support the bipartisan effort to secure our southern border, he has decided to use state resources to put our citizens in danger for political expediency. Legitimizing this politically driven farce is a waste of time and resources, especially when we know Republicans in DC killed their OWN bill to support a solution at the southern border. Now, because of the irresponsible callousness of Washington DC Republicans, Indiana National Guard members will be separated from their families and sent to deal with an issue that Republicans are intentionally allowing to go unaddressed. I pray for the safe deployment and return of each of our Guard members to their families. “Indiana is better than this, and I call on the Governor to prioritize human life over partisan politics and reverse the embarrassing deployment of our National Guard members for the purpose of putting on an unnecessary political performance in fealty to Donald Trump.”
Indiana Republicans released a statement on the governor's decision, too, which said:
"The border crisis brought on by the Biden administration is a national security issue that impacts all 50 states. 71 percent of all Indiana overdose deaths from 2021-2022 were from synthetic opioids, like fentanyl, which largely come from the southern border. Hoosier Republicans stand with Governor Holcomb and appreciate his leadership."
According to the governor, the soldiers from Indiana will start getting ready for their mission immediately, spending one week in training and will arrive in Texas in mid-March, where they'll stay for 10 months.
13 News reached out to the Indiana National Guard for a comment on how much it will cost to send Indiana National Guard members to Texas. A spokesperson replied via email, saying:
"The Indiana National Guard is uniquely trained, equipped and capable of mobilizing whenever and wherever called upon. As directed by the Governor, Hoosier Guardsmen are preparing immediately to mobilize to support the Texas National Guard on their border mission. The state of Indiana has appropriate funds to support the mission. It's early to share details on the total cost of the mission because it is subject to change based on volunteers and length of deployment. Additional details are not available at this time."
13 News also reached out to Holcomb for additional comment on the deployment. The governor was not available for comment.