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Edwards: National Guard will remain at border, not involved in separations

Moments before Edwards released his remarks, President Trump announced he would be signing an executive order Wednesday that would end the process of separating children from families after they are detained crossing the border illegally.

BATON ROUGE -- Gov. John Bel Edwards will keep Louisiana's three-person National Guard team at the US's southern border, despite the separation of parents and children caught illegally entering the country.

According to a statement from the Governor's office, Louisiana has provided aerial support to Texas under the past two presidential administrations nd will continue to do so.

"This three-person Louisiana National Guard team and one helicopter provides air support to monitor drug interdiction, support anti-terrorism efforts, and provide additional security to custom and border control agents on the ground," Edwards said. "This crew plays no role, direct or indirect, in the ill-conceived policy of separating families."

The team will remain until mid-July, when they are scheduled to return home and work with Louisiana law enforcement.

"“I, like many people, am deeply disturbed by the unnecessary and abhorrent policy of separating children from their families," Edwards said at the closing of his statement. "It is an unconscionable practice that is inconsistent with our fundamental values as Americans. I urge Congress and the President to act quickly to end this crisis.”

Amid the widespread, and often bipartisan, outcry against President Donald Trump's "tough" policy, several states have pushed back. Nearly a dozen governors have declared their National Guard resources won't be deployed along the Southwest border and at least one state is taking legal action trying to halt the family separations.

Moments before Edwards released his remarks, President Trump announced he would be signing an executive order Wednesday that would end the process of separating children from families after they are detained crossing the border illegally.

"We want to keep families together. It's very important," Trump told reporters during a White House meeting with members of Congress. "I'll be signing something in a little while that's going to do that."

For the latest on the President's decision, click here

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