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California Governor Jerry Brown agreed to deploy additional 400 National Guard troops statewide to fight transnational crime.

The governor’s decision is in response to the request of Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Kirstjen Nielsen and Department of Defense (DoD) Secretary James Mattis.

In a letter to DHS Sec. Nielsen and DoD Sec. Mattis, Gov. Brown wrote that the “California National Guard will accept federal funding to add approximately 400 Guard members statewide to supplement the staffing of its ongoing program to combat transnational crime.”

According to the governor, the California National Guard’s program against transnational crime has 250 personnel including 55 at the border.

California National Guard will not enforce federal immigration laws

Additionally, Gov. Brown said the new funding will allow California National Guard to do what it does best. The troops will support operations targeting transnational criminal gangs, human traffickers, and illegal firearm and drug smugglers across the state.

Furthermore, he said state government and the National Guard have long supported the fight against criminal threats, a priority for all Americans.

Moreover, the governor wrote, “But let’s be crystal clear on the scope of this mission. 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. And the California National Guard will not be enforcing federal immigration laws.”

California is now a sanctuary state for hardworking undocumented immigrants.

Last week, President Donald Trump assigned a mission to Defense Secretary Mattis to help the DHS in securing the U.S. southern border by deploying National Guard troops.

Following the President’s order, Sec. Mattis approved the deployment of up to 4,000 National Guard troops to the southern border. The troops will be under the command of their respective governors. The Defense Secretary made it clear that the troops will not interact with immigrants or perform law enforcement activity.