DeSantis sending Florida National Guard to Texas border

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is sending in the Florida National Guard to aid in securing the Texas-Mexico border.

DeSantis confirmed Friday the deployment of personnel from the state's National Guard to various locations in Texas to bolster efforts launched by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.

"We have another round of personnel heading to the southern border today," DeSantis announced Friday. "This is part of a yearslong effort for us to help do what the federal government has refused to do – which is to actually defend this country’s borders. You’ve seen numbers that have been astronomical over these last three years."

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"I know that what has been happening in Texas has been effective. You have seen the numbers go down, and that is really because you have Texas putting forth a huge effort and all these other states coming by to help," DeSantis said.

The personnel sent to Texas will also include 76 Florida Highway Patrol troopers, who will be assisting border patrol efforts in San Antonio.

The governor continued, "So we want to be a part of that. We think that this is an American issue, partially just because we should just have a secure country, and then partially the effects of this border invasion go to all 50 states." 

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DeSantis also addressed the drastic rise of Chinese nationals crossing the Mexican border, which has generated entirely new concerns among national security experts.

"You got massive numbers of now Chinese coming across the border," he said. "This is incredible that we would be allowing people from all over the world who we have no idea who they are, that they are just being able to pour into this country." 

Over a dozen states have announced that they support Abbott's agenda on illegal immigration and have said they will provide resources to help him secure the border amid record levels of illegal immigration.

Abbott is currently fighting multiple legal battles with the Biden administration. The federal government has threatened legal action over Texas’ seizure of Shelby Park near Eagle Pass, while lawsuits are ongoing over the administration’s cutting of razor wire set up by Texas and the establishment of buoys in the Rio Grande.

The U.S. Supreme Court recently found in the administration's favor when it granted an emergency appeal to allow agents to keep cutting border wire set up by Texas along the border. Texas this week published images of it strengthening physical barriers along Eagle Pass. 

Fox News Digital's Andrew Mark Miller contributed to this report.