Gavin Newsom's move to double National Guard at California border to curb fentanyl smuggling slammed as 'publicity stunt'

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA: In a bold move that has ignited a firestorm of controversy, California Governor Gavin Newsom has announced the doubling of National Guard troops along the state's border with Mexico, thrusting the ongoing fentanyl crisis into the national spotlight.

This dramatic escalation in California's war on drugs comes amid a flurry of political finger-pointing, with Newsom directly challenging Republican leadership over their stance on border security, as reported by The Hill.

Gavin Newsom increases National Guard's presence to combat ongoing fentanyl crisis

Newsom has more than doubled the California National Guard (CalGuard) presence, boosting its numbers from 155 to approximately 400 service members. This bolstered force is part of the Counterdrug Task Force operations, a strategic initiative to curb the flow of fentanyl and other illicit drugs into the United States.

In 2023, CalGuard’s efforts contributed to the seizure of 5.8 million fentanyl-laced pills and a record 62,224 pounds of fentanyl, marking a staggering 1,066 percent increase from 2021, according to the governor’s office.

The personnel boost is supported by a $30 million investment plan and federal appropriations, aimed at expanding CalGuard’s capabilities.

Newsom underscored the urgency of this measure, pointing out the devastating impact of synthetic opioids like fentanyl, which are responsible for nearly 70 percent of the over 100,000 annual overdose deaths in the US.

However, the initiative has not been universally praised. Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, a frequent critic of Newsom, criticized the move as insufficient and overdue.

"I almost feel like I’m on an episode of Punk’d. Is he sending them there to help facilitate access into the country? It’s almost a joke. This has been going on for years. We’ve been begging for help for years," Bianco remarked to KESQ-TV.

Furthermore, Newsom did not shy away from criticizing House Speaker Mike Johnson and the Republican Party for blocking a bipartisan border security bill that could have bolstered resources to fight the opioid crisis.

"California has doubled our National Guard at the border that are working to stop the flow of fentanyl. While the GOP play games and Mike Johnson searches for his spine -- we’re out here doing the work," Newsom stated in a video post on X (formerly Twitter).

The proposed $20 billion bill, negotiated in February by Democrats and Republicans, aimed to enhance border security. However, House Republicans signaled their opposition to the bill even before its official unveiling, arguing it did not go far enough in securing the border.

Increased National Guard presence by Gavin Newsom sparks debate online

The announcement of the increased National Guard presence by Newsom sparked a divided response online.

One Facebook user said, "Worst governor in the United States who has destroyed California," while another remarked, "California has 24,000 National Guard Troops. Newsom has 390 of them at the border. 390. It's almost unnerving how easily Newsom lies."

A third user wrote, "Figures. Being an election year. Trying to look like he's doing the right thing. This is too little too late." Another user posted, "Such a lying pos Governor...publicity stunt at best."

However, not all reactions were against Newsom. One user commented, "It must be repeated, the GOP is responsible for the chaos at the border. They bowed to the loser felon and scrapped the bipartisan border bill that had everything they wanted in it. "

A sixth user mentioned, "Republicans and Trump tanked the Border Bill. This Bill would have provided more resources to curb the drug flow at the Border." Another user stated, "Felonious Trumper Republican sycophants have worked hard to keep the border open for some kind of political gain. Pathetic."

Lastly, a user said, "The GOP could have easily prevented this mess by approving the bipartisan border bill but being the useless party they are, they decided to choose Trump over their own country."

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.