President Donald Trump is warning about a growing crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border, but California's governor is going against the President's orders and withdrawing California National Guard troops from the border. Following a press conference in Sacramento on Monday, Governor Gavin Newsom signed an order to withdraw more than two-thirds of the 360 troops deployed on the border by his predecessor, Jerry Brown, at the request of the Trump administration.
Newsom blasted the administration's claims of chaos at the border, saying illegal crossings are at their lowest point in decades. Newsom remarked that the redeployed National Guard troops will go for more appropriate purposes, such as fire prevention and efforts to curb drug cartel operations in the northern forests of California.
Newsom's comments coming on the same day that President Trump headed for El Paso to attend a rally with a focus on border issues.
The Governor also sent a letter to Acting U.S. Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan requesting financial support from the federal government to expand the California National Guard’s statewide Counterdrug Task Force, "starting with – but not limited to – redeploying 150 personnel from the border."
Shortly after the Governor's news conference, California Assemblyman Kevin Kiley called on the Governor to reverse his decision to remove the troops.
"By removing California's National Guard from the border Californians are less safe. Governor Gavin Newsom is playing politics with our safety and security and I urge him to reverse his decision right away," said Kiley. "This is a dangerous decision that will have lasting impacts on our State."
View the full news conference here .