RICHMOND, Va. — Virginia Governor Ralph Northam has ordered the recall of four Virginia National Guard Soldiers and one helicopter from the U.S. – Mexico border.
“Virginia benefits from the important work of securing our border and we have a responsibility to contribute to that mission. However, we also have a responsibility to stand up to policies or actions that run afoul of the values that define us as Americans,” Governor Northam said in a statement. “Today I spoke with the Adjutant General of the Virginia National Guard and ordered him to withdraw four soldiers and one helicopter from Arizona until the federal government ends its enforcement of a zero-tolerance policy that separates children from their parents.”
The governor, a Democrat, noted when Virginia deployed the soldiers, he expected they would “play a role in preventing criminals, drug runners and other threats to our security from crossing into the United States.”
He added he did not expect they would be “supporting a policy of arresting families and separating children from their parents.”
“We are ready to return and contribute to the real work of keeping our nation safe,” the governor continued. “But as long as the Trump administration continues to enforce this inhumane policy, Virginia will not devote any resource to border enforcement actions that could actively or tacitly support it.”
President Trump has accused Democrats of wanting migrants to “infest our country.”
Infestation by human beings? What person says something like that?
Good for Governor Northam for taking a strong stand on this violation of basic human rights. More governors need to step up to the plate and do the right thing. Our current border issues are a refugee crisis.
