EAGLE PASS, T.X. – Yesterday, Governor Larry Rhoden visited our South Dakota National Guard troops at the Southern Border. You can find b-roll footage of the Governor’s trip here and photos here.
“My goal as Governor is to keep our state strong, safe, and free, and I want the same for our country,” said Governor Larry Rhoden. “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.”
Governor Rhoden met with the 109th Engineer Battalion in Eagle Pass, Texas, then viewed the Picnic Observation Outpost near the Rio Grande River. As Commander in Chief of the South Dakota National Guard, Governor Rhoden is committed to supporting our troops.
The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) hosted Governor Rhoden for an airboat tour of the Rio Grande, which took off from Shelby Park. In 2023, under the Biden Administration, this region caught national attention with as many as 4,000 illegal aliens crossing the border at Shelby Park daily.
Texas DPS then provided a helicopter tour of the border, including the border wall that was constructed near town. A previous South Dakota National Guard deployment assisted with the construction of that wall.
“The biggest eye opener was just how vast the challenge of securing the border is. The Trump Administration, Texas DPS, and our National Guard are accomplishing the incredible feat of keeping our nation safe,” continued Governor Rhoden.
Governor Rhoden ended the day by engaging in a U.S. Customs and Border Patrol briefing at the Del Rio Sector. They outlined their actions to stop drugs, human trafficking, and other illicit activities from crossing our border.
