DeSantis to Send Resources to Texas/Mexico Border

TALLAHASSEE  Governor Ron DeSantis announced Tuesday that Florida would deploy more than 1,100 personnel including National Guard troops to Texas, in order to ""defend the southern border.""

""The impacts of Biden s Border Crisis are felt by communities across the nation, and the federal government s abdication of duty undermines the sovereignty of our country and the rule of law, said DeSantis in a press release. ""At my direction, state agencies including law enforcement and the Florida National Guard are being deployed to Texas, with assets including personnel, boats, and planes. While Biden ignores the crisis he created, Florida stands ready to help Texas respond to this crisis.

The governor's office listed the following resources as committed to the mission:

• 101 Florida Highway Patrol Troopers
• 200 Florida Department of Law Enforcement Officers, in teams of 40
• 20 Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Officers
• 800 Florida National Guard Soldiers
• 20 Emergency Management Personnel  including radio technicians, logisticians, mechanics and planners
• Five available fixed-wing aircraft with monitoring equipment and downlink capabilities with two aviation crew teams
• Two Mobile Command Vehicles and two command teams
• 17 available unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) and support teams
• 10 vessels  including airboats, shallow draft vessels, and mid-range vessels

Through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC), states can provide resources, including personnel, to other states to assist in times of emergency. Texas and Florida are both parties to this agreement and can accept support from each other at any time through an EMAC request.

The EMAC process also ensures resources and personnel deployed for emergency situations are eligible for FEMA reimbursement, according to the governor's office.