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Georgia National Guard troops to deploy to DC
A total of 316 Guardsmen will join the Joint Task Force–District of Columbia, which is overseeing security missions in and around the nation’s capital. FOX 5's Kevyn Stewart has the story.
ATLANTA - Gov. Brian Kemp has announced that more than 300 Georgia National Guard members will deploy to Washington, D.C., later this month to support public safety operations following a federal crime emergency declaration.
What we know:
A total of 316 Guardsmen will join the Joint Task Force–District of Columbia, which is overseeing security missions in and around the nation’s capital. Sixteen support staff — including medical, military police and administrative personnel — have already arrived at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, where they are working with other service members. The remainder, about 300 soldiers, are scheduled to mobilize in mid-September.
The federal request for support followed an executive order issued Aug. 11 by President Donald Trump declaring a crime emergency in the District of Columbia. Georgia is one of eight states contributing troops to the mission, which involves more than 2,200 Guard members nationwide.
"These brave men and women have demonstrated again and again that our Georgia Guard is well equipped to fulfill both this mission and its obligations to the people of our state," Kemp said in a statement. "Georgia is proud to stand with the Trump administration in its mission to ensure the security and beauty of our nation’s capital."
According to state officials, the Guardsmen will provide a visible presence in support of D.C. law enforcement. Duties will vary depending on local needs, and some personnel may be armed under civilian law enforcement authority. Guard leaders stressed that the deployment will not affect the force’s ability to respond to in-state emergencies such as hurricanes or severe weather.
The Georgia Guard, which includes more than 14,000 soldiers and airmen, has a history of participating in domestic and international missions. During Hurricane Helene last year, it supported nearly 40 Georgia counties while continuing overseas operations.
Officials also emphasized that this assignment is separate from another federal request for Guard support of Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations inside Georgia. Troops working with ICE are not armed and only perform administrative and logistical tasks at agency facilities.
The other side:
Meanwhile, three Democratic lawmakers — Reps. Eric Bell of Jonesboro, Derrick Jackson of Tyrone and Sen. Kenya Wicks of Fayette — plan to hold a press conference Friday at the State Capitol to voice opposition to the Guard’s deployment in support of ICE. The lawmakers, who are military veterans, said they intend to stress the need for "community-centered solutions" and to warn against the implications of using state troops in immigration enforcement.