After pledging to send 400 National Guard troops to assist with security at the United States/Mexico border, a report claims California Gov. Jerry Brown is rejecting the troops' assignment from the federal government.
According to Associated Press sources, Brown would agree to send troops as long as they were not involved in immigration enforcement. By law, members of the military are prohibited from performing law enforcement functions, such as making arrests.
But the National Guard is disputing the Associated Press' report.
Lt. Col. Thomas Keegan said Monday afternoon that "state officials have not rejected anything since the Governor responded to the federal government last Wednesday with the proposed 'Memorandum of Agreement between the State of California and The Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security.'"
President Donald Trump signed an executive order two weeks ago, requesting National Guard troops from the four states that border Mexico to deploy troops to assist Border Patrol. So far, the other three states appear to be complying with Trump's executive order.
But sources told the AP that it will not provide "mission support" in immigration enforcement. Such duties could include repairing vehicles, monitor surveillance cameras or doing clerical work.
Although there have been fewer documented illegal border crossings since Trump took office in 2017, Trump campaigned on increasing border security, which included building a wall along the border. So far, funding for Trump's wall proposal has not passed Congress.
