Governor Ron DeSantis announced on Tuesday that Florida is deploying assets to Texas to help secure their southern border. According to the governor, Florida has over 1,100 assets and resources available including:
  • 101 Florida Highway Patrol Troopers
  • 200 Florida Department of Law Enforcement Officers, in teams of 40
  • 20 Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Officers
  • 800 Florida National Guard Soldiers
  • 20 Emergency Management Personnel – including radio technicians, logisticians, mechanics and planners
  • Five available fixed wing aircraft with monitoring equipment and downlink capabilities with two aviation crew teams
  • Two Mobile Command Vehicles and two command teams
  • 17 available unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) and support teams
  • 10 vessels – including airboats, shallow draft vessels, and mid-range vessels

The problem of immigration has become a crucial issue for Republican voters, and Governor DeSantis has been actively pushing for policy changes. The governor has been holding the Biden administration responsible for the situation at the border.

“At my direction, state agencies including law enforcement and the Florida National Guard are being deployed to Texas, with assets including personnel, boats and planes. Florida stands ready to help Texas respond to this crisis,” said Governor Ron DeSantis.

Through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC), states can provide resources, including personnel, to other states to assist in times of emergency. Texas and Florida are both parties to this agreement and can accept support from each other at any time through an EMAC request. The EMAC process also ensures resources and personnel deployed for emergency situations are eligible for FEMA reimbursement. In 2021, Governor Ron DeSantis sent reinforcements following a letter from Governors Greg Abbott of Texas and Doug Ducey of Arizona requesting immediate assistance with the security crisis overwhelming law enforcement at the southern border.
Resources are available through the Florida Division of Emergency Management, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Florida National Guard, Florida Highway Patrol and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and stand ready to deploy within the next 24 hours.