Noem, other Republican governors request meeting with President Biden to address border policy

September 20, 2021

PIERRE, S.D. – Today, Governor Kristi Noem and 25 other Republican governors wrote to President Biden, urging him to change what they call his, “failed border policy.”

The governors requested a meeting within the next 15 days to address what they call a,”crisis.”

“The months-long surge in illegal crossings has instigated an international humanitarian crisis, spurred a spike in international criminal activity, and opened the floodgates to human traffickers and drug smugglers endangering public health and safety in our states,” wrote the governors. “A crisis that began at the southern border now extends beyond to every state and requires immediate action before the situation worsens.”

Governor Noem had previously deployed 48 South Dakota National Guard troops to the southern border for a two-month deployment. This was in response to a request from fellow governors Greg Abbott of Texas and Doug Ducey of Arizona. Governor Noem subsequently announced that South Dakota will be sending an additional 125 members of the National Guard to the border for a 9 to 12-month deployment at the behest of the federal government. That subsequent deployment will be made later this year.