When the National Guard was on the border in NM and AZ, they were allowed no ammo and were not to have contact with illegals. Most were running errands for Border Patrol and a few were driving around and in lookout towers acting as spotters for BP. If a governor calls up the guard as opposed to the state doing it, the state must pay. I imagine the governors of AZ and NM think it is a little pricey for theater.
I read an article a couple weeks ago that stated the only way the NG Perry is sending to the border could be fully armed- w/ammo and have power to detain/arrest illegals and not turn them over to feds is if the governor deputizes each one of them as Texas Rangers. Not sure if that is true but it was a reporter in Texas that wrote the article. So if he deputizes the NG as Texas Rangers then I will pay attention.
False.
Initial reports suggested the Guardsmen were unarmed. However, Border Patrol spokesman Gustavo Soto said the teams "had rifles and ammunition from Day One."
Mixed Reports on National Guard Border Confrontation
http://www.foxnews.com/story/2007/02/01/mixed-reports-on-national-guard-border-confrontation/
February 01, 2007
Not all NG were armed; it depended on the assignment. Building roads and fences, not armed. Entry Identification Team, armed.