Boise, Idaho – Governor Brad Little and 25 other governors announced the creation of the American Governors' Border Strike Force today, a multi-state partnership designed to disrupt and dismantle the transnational criminal organizations taking advantage of the open border with Mexico.

“Meth and fentanyl are the most serious and growing drug threats in Idaho, and there is a direct tie to the loose border with Mexico. Border security is interconnected with the health and safety of American citizens. The Biden Administration has refused to address the crisis at the border, so once again America’s governors are stepping up,” Governor Little said.

The new strike force targets cartels and criminal organizations operationally and financially by increasing collaboration, improving intelligence, investing in analysis, combating human smuggling, and stopping drug flow among each of the participating states.

View the Governors’ memorandum here: https://gov.idaho.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/american-governors-border-strike-force.pdf

President Joe Biden’s immigration policies and the lack of adequate federal resources have caused an unprecedented increase in criminal operations along the southern border and in communities across the country. Every state is a border state dealing with the impacts of illegal immigration.

America’s governors have repeatedly stepped up to fill the void with state National Guard and state law enforcement reinforcements in Texas and Arizona. Governor Little sent a team of specialized state troopers to Arizona in 2021 to assist with drug interdiction, and he joined Governors in requesting a meeting with President Biden to offer 10 policy solutions that could immediately relieve the crisis at the border.

Signatories to the memorandum include: Brad Little (ID), Governors Doug Ducey (AZ), Greg Abbott (TX), Kay Ivey (AL), Mike Dunleavy (AK), Asa Hutchinson (AR), Ron DeSantis (FL), Brian Kemp (GA), Eric Holcomb (IN), Kim Reynolds (IA), Larry Hogan (MD), Tate Reeves (MS), Mike Parson (MO), Greg Gianforte (MT), Pete Ricketts (NE), Chris Sununu (NH), Doug Burgum (ND), Mike DeWine (OH), Kevin Stitt (OK), Henry McMaster (SC), Kristi Noem (SD), Bill Lee (TN), Spencer Cox (UT), Glenn Youngkin (VA), Jim Justice (WV), and Mark Gordon (WY).

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