Pawlenty to send 200 MN National Guard members to patrol southern border
As expected, Governor Pawlenty says he's sending 200 Minnesota National Guard troops to New Mexico to help patrol the U.S.-Mexico border. Pawlenty says he's activating the troops because the U.S. Departments of Defense and Homeland Security issued a request for help. He said the Defense Department or the White House did not pressure him to send any troops.
President Bush said in May that he wanted 2,500 National Guard troops in the southwest by June to prevent people from crossing the border illegally, less than half the desired number of troops were in place along the border on June thirtieth. Pawlenty says the initial batch of troops will volunteer for the duty. He says they won't arrest anyone crossing the border but will provide support services to border security agents.
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