US
National Guard Troops Deployed At Mexico Border
US National Guard troops have been deployed
along the country's southern border between
the state of California and Mexico. They are
the first of more than 1,000 troops President
Barack Obama has authorised to beef up border
security. There are some 12 million people in
the US illegally and most have crossed the
southern border from Mexico. Immigration has
become a central issue ahead of important
national elections in November. California has
sent more than 200 military personnel to its
southern border with Mexico. They are the
first of up to 1,200 National Guard Troops who
will support existing border agents in the
four US states along the country's
southwestern frontier. California's Governor
Arnold Schwarzenegger said the troops had been
called to help protect the safety of the
American people. They will be operational from
September. But he warned the country must find
a permanent solution to its broken immigration
system. The deployment of National Guard
troops is part of Mr Obama's response to loud
calls to do more to secure America's borders
against drug smugglers, human traffickers and
illegal immigrants. Another border state,
Arizona, recently passed tough new
anti-immigration laws, complaining the federal
government had failed to act.