Noem visits South Dakota Guard at southern border

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KEVN) - South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem toured the U.S. southern border Tuesday, where 50 state guard soldiers are deployed to help slow illegal border crossings.

The deployment is part of Operation Lone Star, launched by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.

“The situation at our southern border continues to deteriorate,” Noem said in a prepared release. “The Mexican drug cartels are taking advantage of the open border to proliferate their drugs and human trafficking. This criminal activity is making South Dakotans less safe.”

Noem was joined at the border by South Dakota Adjutant General Mark Morrell and South Dakota Secretary of Public Safety Bob Perry.

This is the second time in two years that Noem sent guard soldiers south to support Abbott’s efforts to stop illegal border crossings.