Noem meets with South Dakota National Guard troops in Texas

McALLEN, Texas (Dakota News Now) - South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem visited the 48 National Guard members Monday that she sent to the southern border in early July.

Noem was briefed by the troops about their experience at the U.S.-Mexico border thus far.

In a statement Noem said, “I am grateful to these soldiers, who have volunteered for this deployment. The message I have received is clear: this deployment is working, and our Guard is committed to strengthening our border security.”

This deployment is being privately funded by a $1 million donation from a Tennessee-based non-profit.

The deployment to the border is scheduled to last between 30 and 60 days. However, Noem said she may reevaluate how long the troops will be in Texas at a later point.

“I asked our guardsmen what their needs are and what more we can do to help. They asked for more time to complete this mission, and we are evaluating the possibility of extending their deployment,” Noem said.

On Twitter, the governor said more than 20,000 border crossings happened in the zone the South Dakota troops are in just last week.