ROANOKE, Va. – Virginia National Guard troops will be departing for Texas soon.
Governor Glenn Youngkin announced the plans just over a month ago and was visiting with Virginia National Guard troops on Thursday.
Approximately 110 will be headed to the border between Mexico and Texas. Their deployment is scheduled to be about 30 days.
10 News’ John Carlin sat down with Youngkin for a virtual interview to find out why he thinks Virginians need to go to Texas.
Youngkin claims enough fentanyl has come across the border – in his words to “poison the entire United States twice in a single month.”
“Every state is a border state. The fentanyl epidemic that we’re dealing with comes across the border. Starts in China goes to Mexico, comes across the border, ends up in Virginia, and we see it every day. Trafficking is just a nightmare - comes across the border and ends up in Virginia,” Youngkin said.
Youngkin said he was impressed by the troops, who will be joining guardsmen from other states under the command of the military, not civilian leadership.
“I had a chance to speak to them this morning and it was quite an honor I must say, first of all, I’m inspired by them by their commitment, and by the sacrifice that they’re willing to make not only their personal sacrifice but their families to be away for the next month but I explain the mission to them and why we’re going and the fact that we have not only drug prices for the humanitarian crisis in a national security crisis, that all impact Virginia directly,” he said.
The governor told 10 News he believes the federal government should be doing more to try to control the situation at the southern border.