Governor Bill Lee of Tennessee was among the 26 governors who signed a letter confirming their support for the immigration proposals advanced by President-elect Donald Trump, including the mass deportation of criminal illegal immigrants.
Lee confirmed his support in a post to the social media platform X, where he shared a joint letter issued by the Republican Governors Association (RGA), which Lee continues to lead through the end of this year.
“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,” Lee wrote to X.Â
In the RGA letter, Lee and the other governors stated they “stand united in support” of Trump’s immigration agenda, specifically the president’s plans to deport “illegal immigrants who pose a threat” to U.S. citizens or to national security.
“Republican governors remain fully committed to supporting the Trump Administration’s efforts to deport dangerous criminals, gang members, and terrorists who are in this country illegally,” they wrote in response to Trump’s plans. “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.”
The letter was signed by the Republican governors elected to lead Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Ohio, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
Trump has nominated Caleb Vitello to lead Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Rodney Scott to lead Customs and Border Protection (CBP), with the president-elect selecting men with years of experience at the agencies.
He also announced Tom Homan, the former acting director of ICE under Trump’s first administration, will join the White House as the nation’s “border czar,” revealing in a statement that the longtime border security professional will be charged with “the Southern Border, the Northern Border, [and] all Maritime and Aviation Security.”
After winning the election, securing both an Electoral College victory and the popular vote on Election Day, the president-elect confirmed plans to declare a national emergency and use the military to assist in his mass deportation plans.
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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].
