McMaster orders South Carolina troops to southern border

(The Center Square) — South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster ordered South Carolina National Guard troops to help patrol the southern border in Texas.

The move comes amid growing concerns about the country’s porous southern border in the wake of the end of Title 42.

This move follows a mid-May request from Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and a May 22 border security briefing in Austin, Texas, which McMaster and eight other governors attended.

"At the request of Texas Governor Greg Abbott, I have directed the deployment of South Carolina National Guard troops to Texas to help hold the line on the southern border," McMaster, a Republican, said in a Wednesday statement. "The safety and security of South Carolinians require that we stop the drug cartels, criminals, and terrorists from entering our country to peddle their poison."

Palmetto State officials said the mission is still in the planning phase and expect to announce additional details in the coming weeks, including the number of troops deploying. Officials plan to deploy troops by July 1.

On Wednesday, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin and West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice announced they would send National Guard troops to the southern border in Texas. Last week, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee authorized the deployment of 100 Tennessee National Guard troops to the Southern border.

According to a news release, Texas has spent more than $4.5 billion since the state launched Operation Lone Star in 2021. Lone Star lawmakers are considering another $4.6 billion for the next two years.

In neighboring Georgia, Gov. Brian Kemp, a Republican, has supported Abbott’s efforts but has not authorized national guard troops to Texas. However, Georgia National Guard troops are on the ground in Arizona, a Kemp spokesman confirmed to The Center Square.