Minnesota Democratic Gov. Tim Walz called his state’s National Guard back from Washington, D.C., just as Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the termination of legal status and subsequent deportation of a Laotian convicted sex offender pardoned by the governor.
NPR reported Walz’s decision on Saturday, saying he had sent the guard to the nation’s capital ahead of celebrations for the Fourth of July.
President Donald Trump had already increased the guard’s activities there in an effort to reduce crime beginning last August, but the number of guardsman has increased to over 5,000 in the last month, costing $3 million a day.
Walz was clear that the Minnesota guard were to be used for the event only. Under Title 32 of the U.S. Code, despite being federally funded, guardsmen are under their governor’s control.
Minnesota was not alone as states like Michigan, Maryland, Hawaii, North Carolina, and Kentucky — all under Democratic governors — also sent guardsmen.
For Walz, the number was around 100 scheduled to be in D.C. until July 23, but he recalled them after NPR said he concluded they were being sent to patrol areas not relevant to their initial task.
The timing cannot be overlooked.
Hellbound and Down 