SAN DIEGO — After a contentious standoff between the state and federal government, California National Guard troops started training Thursday with the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol to be camera operators, radio dispatchers, and to fill other support roles. President Donald Trump ordered National Guard troops to deploy to the U.S.-Mexico border to help federal authorities combat illegal immigration and drug trafficking. Maj. Kimberly Holman told The Associated Press that some of the 250 troops who volunteered for the call to help Border Patrol agents started their on-the-job training Thursday after meeting their Border Patrol supervisors in San Diego. For example, he said National Guard camera operators will work monitoring video inside Border Patrol facilities and will not be assigned to manning a camera from a vehicle parked at the international line. National Guard troops are also assisting agents in three other U.S. states bordering Mexico — Arizona, New Mexico and Texas — all governed by Republicans.

Source: National Post May 10, 2018 23:14 UTC