Florida law enforcement officers will be the first to join efforts to protect the US-Mexico border per the request of the Texas and Arizona governors.

Governor Ron DeSantis announced he’s sending officers to Texas and Arizona to help stop drug smuggling. The officers will come from the Florida Highway Patrol, Florida Department of Law Enforcement and sheriff’s offices around the state including Palm Beach and Martin Counties. They’ll be deployed at the border for 16 days.

DeSantis says this will protect Florida by stopping the flow of drugs that come in from Central and South America.

“America’s border security crisis impacts every state and every American,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “The Biden Administration ended policies implemented by President Trump that were curbing illegal immigration, securing our border, and keeping Americans safe. Governors Abbott and Ducey recently sent out a call for help to every state in the nation, needing additional law enforcement manpower and other resources to aid with border security. I’m proud to announce today that the state of Florida is answering the call. Florida has your back.”

“As Attorney General, I am dedicated to ending human trafficking, protecting our children from sexual predators, and fighting the opioid crisis now claiming 21 lives a day in our state, but President Biden is hurting, not helping us achieve these vital public safety goals,” said Attorney General Ashley Moody. “The crisis the President created at our southern border makes all of us less safe, and I am proud to stand with Governor DeSantis as he tries to fix the President’s disaster at the border to protect Floridians.”

The move comes following a letter late last week from Governors Greg Abbott of Texas and Doug Ducey of Arizona requesting immediate assistance to quell the surge of illegal migrants, apprehend illegal criminal aliens, and secure our border.

According to the Governor, “As a result of the Biden Administration’s open border policies, attempts at drug trafficking and human trafficking have also increased.”

FBI Director Christopher Wray recently said that there is “no question” that Mexican cartel activity has crossed the border into the U.S. In just January to April of this year, the Texas Department of Public Safety seized nearly 95 pounds of fentanyl in Texas.

That equates to 21.5 million lethal doses of this drug. That is a spike compared to 2020, when the same agency seized only 11 pounds over the first four months.