Gov. Brown agrees to deploy troops to US-Mexico border
SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Gov. Jerry Brown has announced he will send more National Guard troops to the U.S.-Mexico border at President Donald Trump's request, but not for immigration enforcement.
RELATED: Gov. Brown letter about National Guard troop deployment (PDF)
The California governor responded to the federal government's request for additional California National Guard personnel by saying in a letter they will be adding, "400 guard members statewide to supplement staffing of its ongoing program to combat transitional crime."
The letter was addressed to Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen and Department of Defense Secretary James Mattis.
In the letter Brown said, "Let's be crystal clear on the scope of this mission. This will not be a mission to build a new wall. The California National Guard will not be enforcing federal immigration laws."
The governor also said in his letter that he wants to make it clear that there is "no massive wave of migrants pouring into California." He said that immigrant apprehension at the border was down to the lowest they have been in the last 50 years.
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ABC7 News contributed to this report.
