Missouri
Gov. Mike Parson to send Missouri National Guard, highway patrol to secure Mexico border
Gov. Mike Parson plans to send as many as 200 Missouri National Guard members and 22 Missouri State High Patrol troopers to support Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s Operation Lone Star mission.
Launched in March 2021, Operation Lone Star is a Texas initiative aimed at preventing illegal immigration at the nation’s southern border. Parson, who visited the border at Eagle Pass, Texas on Feb. 4, submitted a $2.3 million supplemental budget request to fund the operation.
“The crisis at the Southern Border is fueling the fentanyl crisis here in our state,” Parson said in a statement. “Missourians are dying; families are being ripped apart; communities are being destroyed, and Missouri children are falling victim. It all stems from the Biden Administration’s reckless, irresponsible, and failing open-border policies. With our Southern Border wide open, every state is now a border state.”
Through the recently issued Executive Order 24-03, Missouri’s National Guard troops will be dispersed on a rotating basis of about 30 days. The mission begins on March 10, with the primary objective for these troopers being the construction of physical barriers, with security patrols when needed.
All members of the Missouri Highway Patrol who are participating in the effort are doing so on a voluntary basis. These troopers will begin active support on March 1, which includes helping with traffic enforcement, criminal interdiction, crime prevention and other duties.
“Our current operation plan activates this mission for 90 days,” Parson said. “However, we will continuously work with Texas to evaluate needed support moving forward.”
In December 2023, more than 302,000 border crossings were recorded just that month by the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol. In fiscal year 2023, more than 2 million encounters were recorded. Since 2021, nearly 10 million people have entered the U.S. illegally, though not all at the southern border.
There were 27,000 pounds of fentanyl seized by the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol in 2023, with 98.9% of that taken by authorities at the southern border. Some of this was confiscated at legal ports of entry, but the staggering amounts of the deadly drug entering the country is even more reason to send aid, according to Parson.
“Of course, where we have armed patrols, inspecting people and transports as well as legitimate barriers to entry, we’re going to discover and seize items that should not be coming into our country,” Parson said. “It’s actually quite an argument for the need to expand those procedures and secure our border.”
In 2023, the Missouri State Highway Patrol seized almost 12,500 grams of fentanyl. Fentanyl overdoses have increased by nearly 135% in Missouri since 2017. In 2022, 43 children in the state died from fentanyl exposure.
“The more illegal crossings we could stop and the fentanyl we can seize in Texas means less Missouri families torn apart and less Missouri children losing their lives,” Parson said.
More: Missouri lawmakers hope to crack down on illegal immigration but advocates raise concerns
The Missouri Democratic Party issued a statement criticizing Parson’s executive order, with Missouri Democratic Party Executive Director Matthew Patterson calling it “political theater,” and pointing out how Republicans in the U.S. Congress quickly denounced a bipartisan immigration reform package.
“Governor Parson’s decision to double down his political theater at the southern border instead of urging his Republican colleagues in Congress to support the bipartisan border agreement is not surprising but is deeply shameful,” Patterson said. “Missouri Republicans have demonstrated time after time that they will always choose to play political games over doing their jobs no matter who is put at risk.”
Missouri State House Minority Whip Ashley Aune joined Patterson in these criticisms, expressing frustration with “self-serving politicians playing political games,” and urged Parson to encourage Republican legislators to focus on governing Missouri rather than scoring campaign points.
“The bipartisan bill that was blocked by Republicans in Congress would have addressed this crisis, but Missouri Republicans would rather send Missouri resources to another state than do their jobs,” Aune said. “To these politicians, our pain is their political strategy, and America will continue to feel the consequences of their dysfunction as long as it scores them political points.”
Parson, however, expected to receive criticism for sending resources to the southern border, acknowledging them preemptively in his announcement Tuesday afternoon.
“Critics will say we have our own battles within our own Missouri borders,” Parson said. “And while that is certainly true, we would much rather do what we can to fight this fight on the southern border than let it take root in our own backyard.”
The Missouri Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at April 18, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from April 18 drawing
24-25-39-46-61, Powerball: 01, Power Play: 5
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 3 numbers from April 18 drawing
Midday: 5-8-2
Midday Wild: 3
Evening: 3-8-5
Evening Wild: 1
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from April 18 drawing
Midday: 0-1-6-1
Midday Wild: 2
Evening: 4-7-6-9
Evening Wild: 5
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash Pop numbers from April 18 drawing
Early Bird: 08
Morning: 01
Matinee: 05
Prime Time: 04
Night Owl: 05
Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Show Me Cash numbers from April 18 drawing
07-10-21-27-33
Check Show Me Cash payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from April 18 drawing
02-38-45-53-63, Powerball: 21
Check Powerball Double Play payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
All Missouri Lottery retailers can redeem prizes up to $600. For prizes over $600, winners have the option to submit their claim by mail or in person at one of Missouri Lottery’s regional offices, by appointment only.
To claim by mail, complete a Missouri Lottery winner claim form, sign your winning ticket, and include a copy of your government-issued photo ID along with a completed IRS Form W-9. Ensure your name, address, telephone number and signature are on the back of your ticket. Claims should be mailed to:
Ticket Redemption
Missouri Lottery
P.O. Box 7777
Jefferson City, MO 65102-7777
For in-person claims, visit the Missouri Lottery Headquarters in Jefferson City or one of the regional offices in Kansas City, Springfield or St. Louis. Be sure to call ahead to verify hours and check if an appointment is required.
For additional instructions or to download the claim form, visit the Missouri Lottery prize claim page.
When are the Missouri Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 9:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
- Pick 3: 12:45 p.m. (Midday) and 8:59 p.m. (Evening) daily.
- Pick 4: 12:45 p.m. (Midday) and 8:59 p.m. (Evening) daily.
- Cash4Life: 8 p.m. daily.
- Cash Pop: 8 a.m. (Early Bird), 11 a.m. (Late Morning), 3 p.m. (Matinee), 7 p.m. (Prime Time) and 11 p.m. (Night Owl) daily.
- Show Me Cash: 8:59 p.m. daily.
- Lotto: 8:59 p.m. Wednesday and Saturday.
- Powerball Double Play: 9:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Missouri editor. You can send feedback using this form.
The Missouri Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at April 17, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Mega Millions numbers from April 17 drawing
38-43-44-49-62, Mega Ball: 08
Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 3 numbers from April 17 drawing
Midday: 4-8-6
Midday Wild: 2
Evening: 8-8-2
Evening Wild: 1
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from April 17 drawing
Midday: 3-9-4-2
Midday Wild: 4
Evening: 7-3-7-7
Evening Wild: 7
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash Pop numbers from April 17 drawing
Early Bird: 07
Morning: 06
Matinee: 08
Prime Time: 05
Night Owl: 07
Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Show Me Cash numbers from April 17 drawing
04-06-25-37-39
Check Show Me Cash payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
All Missouri Lottery retailers can redeem prizes up to $600. For prizes over $600, winners have the option to submit their claim by mail or in person at one of Missouri Lottery’s regional offices, by appointment only.
To claim by mail, complete a Missouri Lottery winner claim form, sign your winning ticket, and include a copy of your government-issued photo ID along with a completed IRS Form W-9. Ensure your name, address, telephone number and signature are on the back of your ticket. Claims should be mailed to:
Ticket Redemption
Missouri Lottery
P.O. Box 7777
Jefferson City, MO 65102-7777
For in-person claims, visit the Missouri Lottery Headquarters in Jefferson City or one of the regional offices in Kansas City, Springfield or St. Louis. Be sure to call ahead to verify hours and check if an appointment is required.
For additional instructions or to download the claim form, visit the Missouri Lottery prize claim page.
When are the Missouri Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 9:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
- Pick 3: 12:45 p.m. (Midday) and 8:59 p.m. (Evening) daily.
- Pick 4: 12:45 p.m. (Midday) and 8:59 p.m. (Evening) daily.
- Cash4Life: 8 p.m. daily.
- Cash Pop: 8 a.m. (Early Bird), 11 a.m. (Late Morning), 3 p.m. (Matinee), 7 p.m. (Prime Time) and 11 p.m. (Night Owl) daily.
- Show Me Cash: 8:59 p.m. daily.
- Lotto: 8:59 p.m. Wednesday and Saturday.
- Powerball Double Play: 9:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Missouri editor. You can send feedback using this form.
-
Maryland3 minutes agoMaryland Lottery Powerball, Pick 3 results for April 18, 2026
-
Michigan8 minutes agoQ&A: Jocelyn Benson on her tenure as Michigan’s secretary of state
-
Massachusetts14 minutes agoPolice shoot and kill man armed with knife in Lexington, DA says
-
Minnesota20 minutes agoBoldy, Eriksson Ek help Wild cruise past Stars in Game 1 of Western 1st Round | NHL.com
-
Mississippi27 minutes agoGeorge County High School senior killed in Highway 26 crash, MHP says
-
Missouri32 minutes ago
Missouri Lottery Powerball, Pick 3 winning numbers for April 18, 2026
-
Montana38 minutes ago
Montana Lottery Powerball, Lotto America results for April 18, 2026
-
Nebraska44 minutes agoGallery: Huskers Run-Rule No. 12 USC to Take Series