Jan. 26—State Sen. Niraj Antani, R-Miamisburg, sent Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine a letter Friday urging the governor to send a significant chunk of Ohio’s National Guard to the southern U.S. border amid Texas’ standoff with the Biden Administration.

The letter comes days after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott admonished U.S. President Joe Biden’s “lawless border policies” and formally declared that Texas was being invaded by illegal immigrants.

DeWine, who has sent hundreds of Ohio National Guard and State Highway Patrol personnel to Texas to aid in border security throughout his tenure, including some that are still deployed, publicly supported Abbott’s initiative and said the state would continue to do its part.

“While I appreciate that you have sent a couple hundred Ohio National Guardsmen over the past few years, you have at your command an Ohio National Guard of 17,000,” Antani wrote to DeWine. “You should immediately call up thousands of members of the Ohio National Guard and send them to Texas to stop the invasion of the United State including Texas and Ohio.”

Dan Tierney, spokesperson for DeWine’s office, told this news organization Friday that Texas must first make a request for Ohio troops.

“Texas is a sovereign state, so one state cannot send their troops to another state without the other state inviting them to send their military there,” Tierney said.

At the time of reporting, Ohio has not received such a request, according to Tierney.

——

Follow DDN statehouse reporter Avery Kreemer on X or reach out to him at Avery.Kreemer@coxinc.com or at 614-981-1422.

Loading…