California Gov. Jerry Brown agrees to deploy National Guard, but won't focus on immigration

Jerry Brown.
(Image credit: Stephen Lam/Getty Images)

California will deploy 400 members of the National Guard in response to President Trump's request for military action at the southern border, Gov. Jerry Brown (D) announced Wednesday. The deployment, however, will not go toward immigration enforcement.

"This will not be a mission to build a new wall. It will not be a mission to round up women and children or detain people escaping violence and seeking a better life," Brown said Wednesday in a statement. Rather, California's governor has agreed to accept federal funding for increased National Guard presence in order to focus on halting human trafficking and the smuggling of drugs and firearms into the state.

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Summer Meza, The Week US

Summer Meza has worked at The Week since 2018, serving as a staff writer, a news writer and currently the deputy editor. As a proud news generalist, she edits everything from political punditry and science news to personal finance advice and film reviews. Summer has previously written for Newsweek and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, covering national politics, transportation and the cannabis industry.