Loudon County commissioners this week went against Tennessee Republican Gov. Bill Lee and unanimously passed a resolution saying they want no more refugees in their county.
“Loudon County does not want to be forced into resettling additional poor and under-educated peoples who lack job skills and do not speak our language,” according to the language of the resolution.
“These refugees will stay on unemployment for several years after their arrival and compete for the same jobs as our already large number of SNAP recipients.”
In September, U.S. Republican President Donald Trump issued an executive order that enabled state and local governments to refuse resettling any more refugees in their states or localities.
As reported, Lee cited his Christian faith as one of the reasons he decided to continue taking in refugees.
Commissioner Van Shaver, who put the resolution forward, told The Tennessee Star Wednesday that Lee is wrong from a religious standpoint.
“I would say I am as Christian as Bill Lee is, in my opinion, and I have an entirely different view of it,” Shaver said.
“We help other countries enormously with our tax dollars. That doesn’t mean we have to bring in all the refugees here to try to accommodate their needs before we accommodate the needs of our local population.”
Commissioner Gary Whitfield, meanwhile, said Lee and members of his staff should have done a better job communicating with the state’s local elected officials.
“I just feel like the governor’s office didn’t provide me with a lot of information from the governor’s office about what he was thinking,” Whitfield told The Star.
“I would very much have liked to see the governor’s thoughts and the reasoning as to why Tennessee should allow refugees to continue to come.”
The Loudon County resolution also says the area has a high population of illegal immigrants who have overcrowded their schools and their jails.
“English as a second language teachers are very expensive and have been added to our schools to accommodate Spanish speakers,” according to the resolution.
“We do not want to be forced to add more teachers speaking perhaps much rarer languages.”
County officials said in their resolution that they also fear the spread of contagious diseases such as tuberculosis.
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Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star. Follow Chris on Facebook. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Loudon County Commissioners” by Bob Miles.
[…] News that now another eight counties are considering a resolution that Loudon County recently adopted, which rebukes the governor’s decision to allow more refugees and bans resettlement […]
Gov. Lee has a big farm. Let him take care of them all! NO more illegals! Enough! I sub for ESL classes in a rural town and it is very hard on the children to not speak English! They must learn English before coming to America! NO more freebies! Many tax payers struggle. Gov. Lee I wrote to you several times asking you to do something to help end domestic violence in Tennessee! Tn is 4th in the nation!! Unacceptable! And I get calls constantly from Lee Company saying my service schedule is past time. I am not a home owner! Fraud calls! I vote to impeach Gov. Lee today!!!!
It time for him to go he doesn’t want to listen to the people of TN and he is on the wrong side most of the time. Like with the 420 bills we could get about 50% off pain pill’s and cut over dost to and help a lot f sick people get off pill’s but don’t want that here. It time to take our country back and people like him are useless,
I want to remind those using Christianity as cover for their vote that the Holy family were refugees when they fled to Egypt without jobs or language. Please vote as you will But Don’t Use Christianity as your excuse.
[…] of that, our top story at the Tennessee Star today. Tennessestar.com. No more refugees, Loudon County tells Governor Bill Lee. Loudon County commissioners this week […]
I support Louden Please stop overwhelming our little TN towns with additional burdens. I support Loudon County on this esp the “We help other countries enormously with our tax dollars. That doesn’t mean we have to bring in all the refugees here to try to accommodate their needs before we accommodate the needs of our local population” statement. I pray the government and politicians will start making decisions to stop rapidly changing our country.
Well inform your County to boot the illegals out that are sucking the economy dry and working up at the Mushroom plant and drawing food stamps getting free lunches at schools and getting the food pantry’s and give away stores each week to SUPPORT them as they blow their earnings on dope, booze and parties Now that is what LOUDON needs to do first!!!!
And my Christian faith says you have no idea what you are talking about.
Better double check.
Doesn’t seem as tho’ your response is that of a CHRIS tian!
Y’all should be ashamed of yourselves.. Imagine escaping a war-torn country, having fled for the safety of your children, into a foreign land, no knowing the language, the people…and then to receive this sort of “welcome.” The very nature of refugees is that they are escaping certain death or persecution. They are not going to hurt you or take away anything of yours. They are simply trying to make a life in the greatest country, because their lives depend on it. Imagine being so bankrupt in your hearts that you would want to block the most downtrodden and destitute from having a **chance** at a life you’ve received for free, totally through no merit of your own??! These poor people cannot help their circumstances or where they were born. Our acceptance of immigrants and refugees is what has made America so wonderful. Remember, Jesus himself was a refugee in Egypt when Herod made the decree to kill little boys under 2 years. Don’t let your hearts be hardened like pharaoh.
Let the shame stay in under your skull!
We are concerned about our Veterans that fought for our Rights, and our Homeless.
Foreigners need to stay on their soil and fight for their rights.
We can’t take them all, so let them stay where they are an bond together and correct the problems they are running from!
I will not vote for Lee again.
Thank you Louden County!
“billy lee” had to face A FIVE COUNTY PROTEST in Carter County, 2)Sullivan, 3)Unicoi, Washington & Johnson
More power to the Counties with a backbone.
O.K. someone has to run in a primary to oppose Gov. Lee. His Christian belief and our money. So person A wants to do something for person B so coerces person C to pay for it.
We want no more Refugees in Tennessee period. Lee is putting a death wish to his Governorship. Each county should take him on. It is our state he is just there to do the will of the people.
The state and local communities have to agree, as I understand it. While Lee has agreed for the state it appears that the local community says no. And if pressed Loudon County should sue in the courts for their Federal rights. Shut Lee down.Next is Knox County. Watch for similar action against Kane.
I am very proud of Loudon County Commissioners for letting the Governor know they are interested in protecting Loudon County citizens first and foremost. Great job!
I’m very proud of Loudon County we do not want or need any more refugees I. Our Srate if Tennessee I’m from Bradley County we are over run with refugees. Governor Lee is exactly 100 .% Wrong. We need to take care of our own people. Ima. highly upset with Lee gif his Christian overview this is not a Christian outlook he needs to check himself out before making a statement about his Christian beliefs.
I understand wanting to help people, but you do that out of your own pocket, not the pockets of others. You are doing this to make yourself feel righteous, sir, without personally having to bear the burden of your decision. You are forcing others to pay that bill. That is a sin unto itself.
I’ve been told by officials in Lawrence County that these resolutions are meaningless and carry ‘no weight or authority’. Is this true?
@Mary. A resolution is not binding like a bill that puts a law into place, but it sends a loud and clear message about the issue from Loudon County elected officials to the governor.
I told you it was going to happen.