Idaho’s two members of the House of Representatives are encouraging President Barack Obama to go forward with a plan to send 1,200 National Guard troops to the U.S.’s border with Mexico to increase security.
“We need a secure border, and this is a step in the right direction,” 1st District Rep. Walt Minnick said in a news release. “I applaud the effort and encourage the Administration to take the necessary steps to keep American citizens safe.”
Rep. Mike Simpson and other members of Congress sent a letter to Obama last October asking him to increase the number of border agents along the Mexican border. The letter said the U.S.’s southern border is not secure or safe. “We are concerned about this crisis and are willing to work with you to ensure that the Border Patrol has the workforce necessary to accomplish its mission, including reducing border violence and stopping the flow of illegal immigrants,” the letter said.
Obama’s proposal to deploy National Guard troops would cost $50 million.
