California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) recently made claims about the effectiveness of the California National Guard’s actions along the Mexico border, sparking controversy and disputes from journalists who have firsthand experience in the region.
In a video posted on Twitter, Governor Newsom taunted Republicans for “playing games” while his administration claimed to be taking action to stop the flow of fentanyl into California. He stated that California had doubled their National Guard presence at the border in order to counteract the flow of drugs and migrants entering the state.
However, Fox News correspondent Bill Melugin challenged Governor Newsom’s claims, stating that he had not seen a single California National Guard soldier in the border regions where migrants are walking into the U.S. He later confirmed this claim with sources indicating that the California National Guard was indeed only posted at official ports of entry.
Many drugs do flow into the U.S. through these ports of entry, but the majority of illegal migrants prefer to enter the country elsewhere along the border. Governor Newsom’s video appeared to be filmed in an open area, not at one of these official points of entry into the U.S.
This incident highlights the ongoing debate over immigration and border security in the United States, with Democrats often blaming Republicans for a “border crisis” while Republicans argue that legislation supporting border security would help prevent illegal migration. The situation remains contentious as both parties continue to grapple with the best approach to managing the flow of people and drugs across the southern border of the country.