Governor Newsom increases California National Guard deployment at border by 152% to curb fentanyl smuggling

Austin Turner
·2 min read
10

In an effort to cut down on migrant fentanyl smuggling, California Governor Gavin Newsom has announced an increase in the deployment state’s National Guard across the U.S.-Mexico border.

Announced on Thursday, Newsom plans to more than double the presence of the Cal Guard’s Counter Drug Taskforce from 155 service members to 392.

“Our top priority is the safety of our communities statewide,” Newsom said in a statement. “By working with state, local, and federal partners to take down transnational organizations and the illegal drugs they attempt to bring into our state, the state’s Counter Drug Taskforce is making a profound difference to hold smugglers accountable and take deadly drugs off our streets.”

The 152% increase in service members is an attempt to curb illegal drug smuggling — including fentanyl — at several key ports along the southern border. California began deploying the Counter Drug Taskforce at the border in 2022, initially with just 30 service members.

“Beginning in 2022, the CalGuard’s Counter Drug Taskforce deployed 30 service members to the San Ysidro, Otay Mesa, Tecate, and Calexico Ports of Entry to support our federal partners,” said CalGuard Major General Matthew Beevers. “Due to significant initial success, in 2023, we doubled our force across those Ports of Entry. Under Governor Newsom’s leadership and broad Congressional support, our Counter Drug Taskforce has grown from 155 full-time service members to 392 today.”

Newsom’s office says the taskforce has seized 5.8 million pills containing fentanyl this year so far. Last year, 62,224 pounds of fentanyl were seized.

According to the office, the majority of fentanyl smuggling across border ports of entry is done by U.S. citizens — not migrants.

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