Some National Guard members have started arriving at the US-Mexico border with more expected as federal government officials seek ways to curtail illegal immigration.
The Republican governors of Texas, Arizona and New Mexico yesterday committed 1,600 Guard members to the border, giving President Donald Trump many of the troops he requested to fight what he's called a crisis of migrant crossings and crime.
The only holdout border state was California, led by Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown, who has not announced whether troops from his state's National Guard will participate and has repeatedly fought with Trump over immigration policy.
Under the federal law Trump invoked in his proclamation calling for National Guard troops, governors who send troops retain command and control over their state's Guard members and the US government picks up the cost.
Brown's spokesman, Evan Westrup, said California officials still are reviewing Trump's troop request.
Trump said last week he wants to send 2,000 to 4,000 National Guard members to the border, issuing a proclamation citing "the lawlessness that continues at our southern border."