Orgeon Gov. Kate Brown said Wednesday she will refuse to send her state’s National Guard to the U.S.-Mexico border, defying President Donald Trump’s order on Wednesday to do so.
Brown, a Democrat, sent a series of tweets about the directive, which Trump said is to protect and enforce the border until the wall can be built.
“If [President Trump] asks me to deploy Oregon Guard troops to the Mexico border, I’ll say no,” she tweeted Wednesday. “As Commander of Oregon’s Guard, I’m deeply troubled by Trump’s plan to militarize our border.”
If @realDonaldTrump asks me to deploy Oregon Guard troops to the Mexico border, I’ll say no. As Commander of Oregon’s Guard, I’m deeply troubled by Trump’s plan to militarize our border.
— Governor Kate Brown (@OregonGovBrown) April 4, 2018
“There’s been no outreach by the President or federal officials, and I have no intention of allowing Oregon’s guard troops to be used to district from his troubles in Washington,” she added.
There’s been no outreach by the President or federal officials, and I have no intention of allowing Oregon’s guard troops to be used to distract from his troubles in Washington.
— Governor Kate Brown (@OregonGovBrown) April 4, 2018
President Trump on Wednesday signed a proclamation that deploys the National Guard to the U.S.-Mexico border.
Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen said earlier on Wednesday that the White House was working with governors across the country and that the deployment hopefully begins “immediately.”
Trump tweeted early Wednesday that the U.S. has “very weak” border laws.
“… [While] those of Mexico and Canada are very strong. Congress must change these Obama era, and other, laws NOW,” Trump tweeted. “The Democrats stand in our way – they want people to pour into our country unchecked… CRIME! We will be taking strong action today.”
Trump said earlier in the week that he was sending the military to guard the border until the wall between the U.S. and Mexico can be built. The move would help prevent illegal crossings, the President said.
“Until we can have a wall and proper security, we are going to be guarding our border with the military. That’s a big step,” Trump told reporters at the White House on Tuesday. “We really haven’t done that before, certainly not very much before.”
Currently, U.S. Border Patrol is in charge of patrolling and maintaining the border.
Trump has recently criticized the United States’ “weak” border laws.
“Mexico has very strong immigration laws. We should have those laws,” the President had said. “We have immigration laws that are laughed at by everybody. We need the wall, we need the protection, and we need to change our immigration laws at the border and elsewhere.”
