On Monday, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds announced she will be sending 110 National Guard troops, along with law enforcement personnel, to support Texas authorities' mandate to stop illegal migrants from crossing over into Texas from Mexico.
Reynolds called the situation at the border 'nothing short of an invasion' and blamed the Biden administration, saying it had 'failed to protect the sovereignty of our border.'
Days later, Texas Governor Greg Abbott sent an additional 700 soldiers from the Texas National Guard to the Texas Tactical Border Force, which was recently created and deployed to El Paso.
Illegal immigration has become one of the most contentious issues this year and has far-reaching ramifications for the upcoming election as federal and Texas authorities fight over jurisdiction.
Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump has said border security will be one of the key pillars of his second White House term, if elected.
The soldiers sent from Iowa will be in Texas until May 3, while 10 personnel from the state's Department of Public Safety will remain in place until April 27.
A second Iowa National Guard deployment of five personnel will also take place between April 1 and September 30.
In a statement, the Iowa governor said:
"President Biden and his Administration have failed to protect the sovereignty of our borders and the safety of the American people. What Texas faces is nothing short of an invasion with historic levels of illegal immigrants and illicit drugs entering our country. Now, every state is a border state, and with that comes a duty to protect the people of Iowa.
"These deployments will help Texas on the frontlines of this crisis. I am grateful to all the members of the Iowa Department of Public Safety and the Iowa National Guard for volunteering for the deployment. It's a testament to their leadership and willingness to serve."
On March 30, Abbott confirmed on X, formerly Twitter, that 700 additional troops "surged to El Paso" after footage of migrants pushing past fencing and National Guard members in the state went viral on social media.
