Republican presidential candidate and Texas Gov. Rick Perry had harsh words for President Barack Obama and his administration’s plan, floated Tuesday, to significantly reduce the 1,200 National Guard troops stationed at the U.S.–Mexico border as a way to cut spending.
Perry is urging the administration to reconsider.
“President Obama’s decision to slash the number of National Guard troops patrolling and securing our southern border is proof that this administration has no intention to truly secure the border or listen to the American citizens, communities and law enforcement who care about border security and public safety,” Perry said in a statement.
The governor expressed disbelief that the Obama administration spent billions on stimulus and regulations but is not able to keep National Guard troops on the border. Perry has a standing order for 1,000 Title 32 National Guard Troops until the state is able to meet its Border Patrol staffing levels.
“After spending billions on failed federal stimulus and bolstering job-killing regulatory agencies in Washington, President Obama now says he can’t find the funds to maintain even current National Guard troop levels to protect us against crime at the border,” Perry added. “Cutting border troop levels adds insult to the injury of the Obama Administration attacking states that have been forced to take immigration matters into their own hands.”
Perry also took a dig at the administration for the Operation Fast and Furious scandal, saying that it is not a good time “to cut security efforts.”
“This decision is all the more appalling given the actions of Attorney General Eric Holder, who let thousands of guns fall into the hands of Mexican drug cartels through the botched Fast and Furious program,” said Perry.
The National Guard border budget is about $10 million each month and, during a time of spending cuts, the Department of Defense has been trying to bring an end to the program, The Houston Chronicle reports.
Perry has touted his record on border security in the race for Republican presidential nomination, and said throughout his campaign that the America needs more “boots on the ground” in order to stem the tide of illegal immigration, drug trafficking and violence on the southern border.
“We need more, not fewer, boots on the ground, as well as strategic fencing, surveillance technology, air and marine resources, working in coordination to truly secure the border,” Perry suggested. “Cutting National Guard troop levels at the border is dangerous to America’s national security, and I urge President Obama to reconsider this ill-advised decision.”
Currently there are 18,200 U.S. Border Patrol agents on the Southwest border — twice as many as in 2001, according to The Houston Chronicle. The Guard troops have been stationed at the border as a holding force while the Border Patrol ups its agent rolls.
According to The Washington Times, the administration will announce “in the near future” that it will be reducing the number of National Guard troops at the southern border by at least half.