Reynolds deploys 109 Iowa National Guard soldiers to Texas

DES MOINES — More than 100 Iowa National Guard soldiers are on their way to Texas to provide security at the southern border

Governor Kim Reynolds has announced 109 Iowa National Guard soldiers will be in Texas until September 1. She said their mission is to deter illegal border crossings and prevent Mexican cartels from getting drugs across the border. Reynolds plans to send Iowa State Patrol officers to Texas on August 31st for a month. They will work alongside Texas law enforcement officers, but she has not revealed how many state troopers will be going.

Reynolds sent nearly 30 state law enforcement officers to Texas in mid-2021 and used state tax dollars to cover expenses. In a news release, Reynolds said she would use federak American Rescue Plan funds allocated to the state in 2021 to finance this year’s deployment.

This is the third time in the past three years that Iowa National Guard soldiers have been deployed to Texas for a border security mission, but it’s the first time they’ve been sent there by the governor.