Governor Bill Lee on Wednesday confirmed that, if requested, he will activate the Tennessee National Guard to assist President-elect Donald Trump and his incoming administration with the mass deportation of illegal immigrants.
During a press conference about his Tennessee Education Freedom plan to offer 20,000 partial scholarships to Tennessee families to promote school choice, Lee was asked whether would activate the National Guard to assist with mass deportations by a reporter who noted Lee was among signatories on a letter from Republican governors who pledged to assist the president-elect with his immigration agenda.
Lee said that Trump has yet to formally request assistance from the Tennessee National Guard but confirmed, “I am fully in support of the president’s plan to remove criminals that are illegal immigrants.”
He told reporters, “President Trump was elected saying what he wanted to do, people elected him in a very strong fashion, and I am supportive of his strategies going forward. If that includes utilizing the National Guard, at the president’s request, then I work together with governors across the country to do that.”
Pressed on whether the Tennessee National Guard could play a role in other states that decline to participate in deporting illegal immigrants, Lee declined to participate in hypothetical questions but repeated, “I will support the president in his efforts.”
Lee was among the 26 Republican governors who signed a letter last month confirming they support Trump’s immigration agenda, including the deportation of illegal immigrants.
The governors specifically stated that they “remain fully committed to supporting the Trump Administration’s efforts to deport dangerous criminals, gang members, and terrorists who are in this country illegally. We understand the direct threat these criminal illegal immigrants pose to public safety and our national security, and we will do everything in our power to assist in removing them from our communities.”
After signing the letter, the governor then stressed his support in a post on social media platform X.
“I have asked key state agencies to begin making preparations & stand ready on Day 1 to support President Trump’s efforts to secure our Nation’s borders & keep communities safe,” wrote Lee.
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Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Pennsylvania Daily Star and The Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Gov. Bill Lee” by Tennessee Office of the Governor.
