Governor of South Dakota, Kristi Noem, is Sending the National Guard to the Border Warzone

Paresh Jadhav

9 months ago

Governor Kristi Noem recently announced her plan to send South Dakota National Guard troops to Texas border in response to increased security needs, yet her comments have offended some tribal leaders; specifically Oglala Sioux Tribe President Frank Star Comes Out who called Noem’s rhetoric offensive.

Noem has confirmed that 60 soldiers will deploy gradually throughout three months this spring. She won’t provide more details due to security reasons.

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Cost

Although South Dakota hasn’t had to reimburse the federal government for sending its National Guard troops to Texas yet, they do have an established history of funding their own mini-deployments. South Dakota taxpayers have paid at least $1.3 million towards past deployment costs; part of it came from private donations while some was covered through its Emergency and Disaster Fund.

This spring, South Dakota National Guard soldiers will be deployed to the border as part of Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s request that South Dakota troops assist in dealing with migrants crossing into his state. It marks the fifth deployment since Noem took office.

Noem’s office made public her move via press release on Tuesday and held a joint session of the Legislature to address it. Additionally, Noem met with troops who provided a detailed briefing of their work at the border.

Mission

Noem recently made headlines for her decision to deploy South Dakota National Guard troops at the border and refers to it as a “war zone.” She claims this move will help prevent drugs from entering South Dakota while simultaneously protecting migrants’ safety.

Noem accepted a $1 million donation from Tennessee billionaire Willis Johnson to cover most of the costs associated with sending 48 troops to the border, with any remaining costs covered by state’s Emergency and Disaster Fund, which was funded through taxpayer contributions. CREW filed suit against both governor and military over this violation of state law and of federal regulations prohibiting private donations for National Guard deployment.

Noem’s announcement to send more troops to the border follows her comments at a joint session of the legislature in late January, in which she described the border crisis as an invasion and encouraged support for Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s efforts in responding. Within hours of Noem speaking at that joint session session, legislators quickly passed a resolution in support of Texas’s efforts.

Timeframe

South Dakota National Guard members deployed to the border are under state active duty orders rather than federal mobilization orders, enabling them to act in law enforcement capacities that would otherwise be forbidden if on federal orders.

They will be stationed at observation posts parked in Humvees along the Rio Grande, watching for groups of migrants to turn themselves in to Border Patrol agents and be taken into custody, while also helping clear away smuggled drugs that enter our borders illegally.

But the move has proven contentious, with the Oglala Sioux tribe accusing Noem of exploiting their members for her political gains and her rhetoric linking immigration with crime. Yet Noem remains resolved to send troops across the border despite such criticism; she used funds from her state emergency and disaster fund as well as private donations from a Tennessee donor to cover costs.

Requirements

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem will answer Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s call for assistance by sending 60 South Dakota National Guard soldiers to the border this spring for three months of deployment, their primary aim being the construction of a wall along the border. It marks Noem’s fifth deployment during her term.

Noem knows that her deployments to the border come at a price for South Dakota taxpayers; her offices have acknowledged this fact by acknowledging the $2.2 million cost for both previous deployments (including one million donated from an anonymous benefactor).

Noem’s rhetoric linking immigration and crime dehumanized immigrants, creating an unfair political strategy. That was why, in 2022, she was banned from Pine Ridge Indian Reservation by Oglala Sioux Tribe because her tribal council felt her misuse of name to gain political gain had resulted in expulsion; furthermore they claimed she used crisis at border as leverage against former President Donald Trump and gain political gain through crisis at border crisis.