Hawaii House Bill HCR63

Hawaii 2024 Regular Session

• Introduced: 3/5/24
• Refer: 3/8/24

Caption

Urging The Governor To Send Five Hundred Hawaii National Guard Members To Assist The Texas National Guard In Policing The United States-mexico Border.

Impact

By sending the Hawaii National Guard to Texas, the resolution aims to enhance local efforts in controlling the influx of undocumented migrants and illegal substances, particularly fentanyl. The deployment of National Guard members would not only bolster the number of troops on the ground but is also viewed as a collective state response to a national crisis surrounding immigration and drug enforcement. Such measure could potentially influence state laws regarding mobilization of state resources for border enforcement.

Summary

HCR63 is a House Concurrent Resolution from the State of Hawaii that urges the Governor to deploy five hundred members of the Hawaii National Guard to assist the Texas National Guard in policing the United States-Mexico border. This resolution arises in the context of escalating numbers of illegal migrant crossings and drug trafficking attempts. The necessity for additional manpower on the border is emphasized by the record high encounters reported by Border Patrol, which in December 2023 alone reached over 250,000.

Contention

Debate surrounding HCR63 may focus on various themes, such as the effectiveness of military deployment in law enforcement roles and the broader implications for state resources being allocated to a federal responsibility. There are also concerns regarding the impact of increased border security measures on humanitarian issues related to the treatment of migrants. As Hawaii is not directly situated on the border, questions may arise about the appropriateness and necessity of this action, highlighting a potential divergence in state priorities and federal immigration policies.