DES MOINES, Iowa — Members of the Iowa National Guard and the Iowa Department of Public Safety are heading to the United States' border with Mexico to participate in Operation Lone Star, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds announced.
According to a press release sent on Thursday, March 28, eight troopers and two sergeants with DPS will deploy to Texas on Sunday, March 31. That deployment will run for 28 days and will conclude on Saturday, April 27.
In addition to the DPS members, the Iowa National Guard will deploy on two separate missions. 110 personnel will be sent to Texas on Monday, April 1, and that mission will finish on Friday, May 3. The second mission will also begin on April 1 but will run all the way to Monday, Sept. 30. Five guardsmen will provide vehicle maintenance services and public affairs support throughout that deployment, according to Reynolds' office.
“President Biden and his Administration have failed to protect the sovereignty of our borders and the safety of the American people. What Texas faces is nothing short of an invasion with historic levels of illegal immigrants and illicit drugs entering our country. Now, every state is a border state, and with that comes a duty to protect the people of Iowa," Reynolds said in a statement announcing the deployment.
This isn't the first time Reynolds has sent Iowans to the border. More than 100 members of the Iowa National Guard were sent to assist with Operation Lone Star on a month-long deployment in August 2023. In February, Reynolds herself also joined other Republican governors in a visit to the southern border.
According to Reynolds' office, all costs for the deployments will be paid for by funds given to Iowa by the American Rescue Plan Act.
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