Governor Holcomb Statement:

“It is highly unfortunate that border states are being forced to divert their own critical resources toward what is clearly a federal responsibility. Indiana has time and time again answered the call to assist states in need including now assisting on the southern border with 123 of our Indiana National Guardsman in and around Chula Vista, California tasked with border protection and monitoring.

Our two largest enforcement agencies, Indiana State Police and DNR’s Law Enforcement Division, are currently in their heavy season as it relates to the significant uptick in drug interdictions, safety on our roads, as well as our response efforts in our parks and bodies of water during these summer months.

I appreciate the efforts that all our southern border partners are doing to protect the border and serve our country’s citizens.

Currently, due to my direct responsibility to the taxpayers of Indiana and the focus on the issues I stated above, I am unable to take additional personnel and law enforcement officers off their current state duties and mission to participate in this important yet short-term and non-reimbursable assignment.”