The first National Guard troops to be stationed along the Arizona-Mexico border to assist immigration agents were expected to deploy between June 6-15, officials said.
The troops will be sent to Arizona as part of President Bush’s plan to sendup to 6,000 National Guard troops to the four southern border states to perform support duties that would free up federal authorities to focus on border security.
The first wave of troops to be stationed near the Arizona border will not come from Arizona. It’s not yet known from which state those troops would come.
Jeanine L’Ecuyer, spokeswoman for Governor Napolitano, said the first deployments under the plan were expected to begin during the first full week of June and stretch out over nine days.
Troops with the Arizona National Guard won’t be ready to deploy until after June 12.
Arizona, the nation’s busiest illegal entry point, already has about 170 National Guard troops at the border assisting federal and state officers with communications, fence construction and anti-drug efforts.
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