Virginia and at least seven other Republican-led states are deploying troops to the U.S.-Mexico border or sending other help — but Maryland won’t.
Democratic Maryland Gov. Wes Moore reacted Wednesday to news that Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin joined the list of governors responding to a request for border assistance from Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.
“Maryland’s not doing that. Right now, what Maryland is doing — Maryland is focusing on public safety here. Maryland is focusing on our schools here. Maryland is focusing on the myriad of challenges and the myriad of opportunities that we have here in the state of Maryland, and I don’t take my orders from Governor Abbott,” Moore told Telemundo 44 at a pedestrian safety event in Wheaton.
Youngkin said earlier Wednesday that he signed an executive order directing the deployment of 100 Virginia National Guard soldiers to the border and 21 support personnel.
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“The ongoing border crisis facing our nation has turned every state into a border state,” he said in a statement.
West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice and South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster announced soon after that they would send troops too. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis previously announced plans to deploy Guard troops and other officers to the border, and Iowa, Mississippi, Nebraska and Tennessee have volunteered aid.
Youngkin said states are “answering the call to secure our southern border, reduce the flow of fentanyl, combat human trafficking and address the humanitarian crisis.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
