• Greg Bishop | Illinois News Network
Count Illinois National Guard troops in for guarding the nation’s southern border, if an official request is made by the Trump administration.
President Donald Trump announced using guard troops to assist border patrol agents along the U.S.-Mexico border to stem the flow of illegal immigration.
While Illinois is far from the border, Gov. Bruce Rauner told reporters in Springfield Tuesday he’d grant the president’s request for Illinois if one were made.

“I have not spent any time thinking about it, but frankly the president is the commander in chief of our military,” Rauner said. “President [Barack] Obama sent troops, national guard, to the border. President [George] Bush sent national guard troops to the border.”
“Illinois has not been requested to send troops,” Rauner said. “If we are requested, I believe we’d honor that request.”
Trump’s plan to use troops to protect the border was in response to Congress not approving full funding for a wall along the border. Trump said troops will guard the border until a border wall is built.
As for border states, only California has not announced using guard troops along the border.