Air Guard Destined for Border Duty, Too

Defense officials told lawmakers Wednesday that the President’s plan to send some 6,000 National Guardsmen to augment the Border Patrol in southwest states would include use of the Air National Guard. And, they could come from any state in the union. Once in Arizona, California, New Mexico, or Texas, the Guardsmen will be under the control of the governor for that state. They will be performing work, such as reconnaissance, engineering, transportation, construction, and language support—not law enforcement, which Defense Homeland Security chief Paul McHale said was “a policy decision” that the governors would have to respect if they want to receive federal funding.