Democratic candidate for governor would not have filled Pentagon request for border help

WORCESTER — Candidate for governor Jay Gonzalez says he would not have complied with a Pentagon request, as Gov. Charlie Baker's administration did, to send a Massachusetts National Guard chopper and a two-person flight crew to the southwestern border to support President Donald Trump's mission to curb illegal border crossings and drug trafficking.

"If Donald Trump's Pentagon made that type of request to me I would not comply with it," Gonzalez told reporters at the DCU Center Friday night, hours after the News Service first reported on the National Guard's plans. "We need to stand up to what he's doing and we've got a governor right now who doesn't do it and on this issue he not only doesn't stand up to him he helps him."

The crew is expected to deploy by the end of the month, and will be working with the Arizona National Guard and the New Mexico National Guard, in coordination with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, to provide air reconnaissance and track illegal activity along the border with Mexico. The Guard said the helicopter and analysts are expected to be in Arizona through September. The federal government will cover the full expense of the deployment.

Major Gen. Gary Keefe, the adjutant general of the Massachusetts National Guard, said Friday that the decision to support the border mission came after a request was made by the Pentagon. The Mass. National Guard will be sending one UH-72 Lakota helicopter and two military analysts to pilot the aircraft.

"We have a proud history of answering the call when our country needs us," Keefe said. "Our soldiers are prepared for the task and proud to participate in this mission to provide air support, along with detection and monitoring capabilities for border security operations to strengthen homeland security."

"In My View, It's Wrong"

Some states, notably California, have fought with the Pentagon over whether to comply with requests and over what duties National Guard troops will perform once activated along the border. Gonzalez, who on Saturday won the Democratic Party's endorsement over primary opponent Bob Massie, made clear Friday night that he disagrees with attempts to "militarize our border."

"In my view it's wrong," Gonzalez said. "As governor I would be a very different type of leader on this. I would be sending signals to Donald Trump that we are not supportive of his immigration approach and that we would do everything possible to stand up for the values and interests of the people of Massachusetts and of our country. And we don't have that with Governor Baker right now."

A Baker campaign spokesman declined comment on Gonzalez's criticism.

Attorney General Maura Healey has frequently sued the Trump administration and indicated in her speech Friday night to party delegates that she'll continue with that approach anytime she feels it's warranted. Asked if there might be a way for Healey to challenge the Baker administration's National Guard deployment to the southwest, Gonzalez said, "I sure hope so and if there is I'm sure she will."

Healey on Friday night accused Baker of too often staying on the sidelines and avoiding "tough fights."

Gonzalez noted Healey's lawsuit against Trump's efforts to impose travel bans on people coming from certain countries. "I love the way Maura Healey's been a leader on this issue. She has stood up to Donald Trump," he said.

Healey's office has reached out to the Baker administration for information about the planned National Guard deployment, an official in Healey's office confirmed on Sunday.

Trump in April ordered the Pentagon and Department of Homeland Security to deploy National Guard troops to the southern border to assist federal border agents, indicating at the time that he would like to see 2,000 to 4,000 National Guard troops called up.

Democrat Robert Massie, the other Democrat running in the primary for governor, also criticized Baker in response to the story on Twitter after it was first published Friday afternoon: "Governor Baker has consistently been a supporter and ally of President Trump. Massachusetts should not be contributing to these racist and horrific policies," Massie wrote.

The Baker administration downplayed the cooperation with the Trump administration's border security efforts, noting that the request for resources and personnel was relatively small and that Massachusetts has assisted with border operations for other presidents. Massachusetts National Guardsmen were activated to support Operation Jump Start under President George W. Bush from 2006 to 2008 and Operation Phalanx under President Barack Obama.

According to officials, participating border states like Arizona and New Mexico submit a request through the Joint Information Exchange Environment to the National Guard Coordination Center at National Guard Bureau. States then determine if they have the ability to fulfill the mission request and can deploy if they meet the requirements.

"Border Security is Homeland Security"

In April, when the administration announced plans to involve the National Guard on the border, Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen said there were "unacceptable levels" of illegal drugs, dangerous gang activity, transnational criminal organizations, and illegal immigration flowing across the border.

"Border security is homeland security, which is national security," Nielsen said. "It's not a partisan issue. It's not something we can separate out. It's core to being a sovereign nation."

Nielsen added, according to a White House transcript, that she had spoken with all governors about the National Guard initiative and that she was anxious to move quickly on it. "It is very encouraging that some of them have already taken dramatic steps in their own states to confront illegal immigration and to strengthen that border security to prevent the criminal activity and the inflow of drugs," she said. "These are leaders who understand the importance of enforcement in border security and how it improves public safety in their states."

Citing Trump's "racist anti-immigrant language," Gonzalez also faulted Baker for filing legislation last summer that would allow state and local police to honor Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainer requests for individuals already in state custody on criminal charges or for sentences related to past violent crimes. The proposal came a week after the state's highest court ruled state law did not allow for law enforcement in Massachusetts to hold defendants at the request of the federal government for immigration violations if they had no other reason to keep the person in custody.

At the press riser in the DCU Center, Gonzalez likened that legislation to "helping Donald Trump enforce his hateful policies."

The Massachusetts Senate last week voted to add language to its annual budget bill that would restrict cooperation between local police and federal immigration officers. While Baker has said he would veto any measure that proposes to make Massachusetts a "sanctuary state," he has also said that local communities should be able to decide how their police interact with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

In a WBUR poll taken in May and released last week, Baker led Gonzalez 60 percent to 20 percent in a hypothetical matchup.

"We're going to make up that difference. I'm not worried about that," Gonzalez said Friday night. He said his campaign is "going broader" after spending the bulk of its time to date trying to rack up support from the type of Democratic Party activists who attended the party's convention Friday and Saturday.

"We've got a governor right now who's a do-nothing governor. He's dragging Massachusetts backwards," Gonzalez said. "He's helping Donald Trump enforce hateful policies. And we can do better and we need to do better."