Peace Garden News

Senator John Hoeven paid tribute to the North Dakota National Guard's 142nd Engineer Battalion at a send-off ceremony in Valley City, N.D. The battalion is set for a year-long deployment to assist U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at the southern border. This mission follows previous deployments of other North Dakota National Guard units, including the 957 Engineer Company, the 1-112 Aviation Regiment, and the 817th Engineer Company.

Hoeven expressed his admiration for the National Guard members, stating, "The National Guard represents the finest men and women in our country. Their work each day to protect our nation, both at home and abroad, does not go unnoticed." He acknowledged their contributions during what he described as an immigration crisis at the southern border. "I’m confident the 142nd Engineer Battalion will continue to provide this valuable support," Hoeven added.

The senator emphasized that their assistance would help CBP address issues such as human and drug trafficking more effectively. He reiterated his stance on border security by saying, "We need to secure the border because border security is national security."

This deployment marks the fourth time in recent years that a unit from the North Dakota National Guard has been sent to support operations at the southern border. Hoeven has previously visited NDNG members stationed in El Paso, Del Rio, and Eagle Pass, Texas to bring attention to their efforts in aiding CBP.