Gov. Larry Rhoden and Attorney General Marty Jackley are the latest South Dakota leaders to announce trips to the U.S.-Mexico border.
Rhoden said he visited the southern border in Texas Tuesday to meet with South Dakota National Guard troops stationed there.
The 109th Engineer Battalion has been at the border since deploying in October. The year-long deployment is part of an effort to fight drug trafficking.
Rhoden says he visited to support the troops and get a first-hand look at efforts to stop illegal border crossings. That included a helicopter tour provided by the Texas Department of Public Safety.
“My goal as governor is to keep our state strong, safe, and free, and I want the same for our country,” Rhoden said. “The 109th Engineer Battalion is working with the Trump Administration, Secretary Noem, and Border Patrol to keep our nation safe, and I was honored to see them in action at the southern border.”
Attorney General Marty Jackley is also visiting the border this week. He toured the border in Arizona Wednesday with a group of Republican state attorneys general and also took part in a roundtable discussion.
Former Gov. Kristi Noem and several state legislators have toured the border in recent years.
