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U.S. NEWS Tuesday 17 april 2018

U.S. says California rejects proposed border duties for troops

By ELLIOT SPAGAT and LUIS remote-control surveillance
ALONSO LUGO, Associated cameras to report suspi-
Press cious activity to U.S. Border
SAN DIEGO (AP) — The Patrol agents, operating
Trump administration said radios and providing "mis-
Monday that California sion support," which can in-
Gov. Jerry Brown reject- clude clerical work, buying
ed terms of the National gas and handling payrolls.
Guard's initial deployment The officials spoke to The
to the Mexican border, but Associated Press on condi-
a state official said nothing tion of anonymity because
was decided. they were not authorized to
"The governor determined discuss the matter.
that what we asked for is California National Guard
unsupportable, but we will spokesman Lt. Col. Thom-
have other iterations," Ron- as Keegan said "state of-
ald Vitiello, U.S. Customs ficials have not rejected
and Border Protection's anything" since Brown
acting deputy commission- proposed a formal agree-
er, told reporters in Wash- ment Wednesday with the
ington. Homeland Security and
Brown elicited rare and ef- Defense Departments that
fusive praise from President prohibits any involvement
Donald Trump last week for in immigration.
pledging 400 troops to the "The federal government
Guard's third large-scale has not yet responded,"
border mission since 2006. Keegan said in an emailed
But the Democratic gover- statement. In this March 13, 2018, file photo, a motorcade carrying President Donald Trump drives along the
nor conditioned his com- Homeland Security De- border in San Diego.
mitment on his state's troops partment spokesman Tyler Associated Press
having nothing to do with Houlton said the federal
immigration enforcement, government was commit- security," Vitiello said. "So, ing. The Guard had about 900
even in a supporting role. ted to working with Brown at some point that might The Democratic governor troops working on the bor-
Brown's announcement and that the California come together." cast his decision as a wel- der mission Monday, a
last week did not address leader shares interest in a Brown was clear last week come infusion of support number that changes dai-
what specific jobs the Cali- secure border with Mexico. that California troops will paid for by the U.S. govern- ly, said Lt. General Daniel
fornia Guard would and Deputy Assistant Secretary help go after drugs, guns ment to fight transnational R. Hokanson, the National
would not do, nor answer of Defense for Homeland and criminal gangs, but not criminal gangs and drug Guard Bureau's vice chief.
the thorny question of how Defense Integration Robert immigrants. Drawing that and firearms smugglers. Nearly 250 were in Arizo-
state officials would distin- G. Salesses said the admin- line will likely prove difficult Republican governors from na, more than 60 in New
guish work related to immi- istration wanted 237 troops because the Border Patrol Arizona, New Mexico and Mexico and about 650 in
gration from other duties. for work in two parts of the combats illegal immigra- Texas have openly em- Texas.q
Vitiello said the governor state that California "has tion but also drug smug- braced the Trump admin-
decided California will not indicated they will not per- gling and other crimes. istration's plans and spe-
accept terms of an initial form." Brown's pledge of 400 cific jobs for their troops, as
troop rollout for the state Vitiello emphasized that troops allowed Trump to California did in previous
that was similar to plans California may participate boast support from all four Guard deployments. Texas
for the other three border in other ways that must still border-state governors and National Guard members
states, Arizona, New Mexi- be worked out. helped put the president are already doing aerial
co and Texas. "We are anticipating ad- above the lower end of and ground surveillance.
According to two U.S. offi- ditional requirements, and his threshold of marshaling The Arizona National Guard
cials, the initial jobs for those we got a signal from Cali- 2,000 to 4,000 troops that said last week that its troops
troops include fixing and fornia that they are inter- he wants to fight illegal im- will provide air and ground
maintaining vehicles, using ested in improving border migration and drug traffick- support.