Parson to head to Mexican border Wednesday
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Gov. Mike Parson will travel on Wednesday to the southern border with Mexico for an update on Missouri troopers and National Guardsmen deployed for Operation Lone Star, according to a Monday press release from the governor’s office.
Parson will head to Eagle Pass, Texas, and sign a supplemental bill that will fund the deployments, the statement says.
Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe went to McAllen, Texas, last month. Missouri began deploying troopers and National Guardsmen in March, to “help secure the southern border” with Mexico, according to previous reporting.
Parson has previously described the border as “complete and utter chaos” and cited fentanyl coming into Missouri during a February press conference. Parson has also repeatedly criticized President Joe Biden in reference to the border. A border bill has been brought to Congress but has failed to pass the House on multiple occasions.
Since Biden took office in January 2021, more than 6.3 million migrants have been detained crossing into the U.S. illegally between points of entry, according to statistics from the Department of Homeland Security.
The number of migrant encounters on the southern border was on the rise even before Biden took office, but hit a record high under his administration. The global pandemic and crises in countries such as Ukraine, Haiti and Venezuela have all contributed to the increase, according to Homeland Security.
According to a March 25 email from governor’s office spokesman Johnathan Shiftlett, Missouri troopers are would not likely be officers making arrests, but they have the ability to do so in Texas, if necessary.
