National Guard to be sent to Southern border after Sununu funding request approved

New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu gestures during his State of the State address at the State House, Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024, in Concord, N.H. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu gestures during his State of the State address at the State House, Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024, in Concord, N.H. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) Charles Krupa

By MICHAELA TOWFIGHI

Monitor staff

Published: 02-16-2024 12:31 PM

Modified: 02-16-2024 4:24 PM


Members of New Hampshire’s National Guard will be deployed to the Southern Border in Texas, after the legislature authorized $850,000 in funding Friday.

Governor Chris Sununu asked the Joint Legislative Fiscal Committee for the funding after he traveled to Eagle Pass, Texas earlier this month alongside several other Republican governors.

In his final State of the State address Thursday, he reemphasized the need for these funds, which he said would help increase border security.

“This is not a Texas problem,” he said. “It is a national crisis and New Hampshire has the chance to provide specialized support, follow the laws of the land, and keep our citizens safe.”

The funding will allow for 15 volunteer members of the National Guard to be stationed in Texas on state active duty for up to 90 days, according to the governor’s office.

Sununu’s activity at the Southern border comes on the heels of activity regarding New Hampshire’s own border with Canada.

The most recent biennial budget included $1.4 million to increase patrols along the 58-mile border with Canada after Sununu said northern border crossings had increased in recent years.

Data obtained by the ACLU of New Hampshire, however, challenges that assertion after revealing law enforcement conducted 21 apprehensions between October 2022 and December 2023.

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In October 2022, Sununu deployed two units, nearly 165 members of the state National Guard, for a one-year stint at the Southern Border.