Tennessee Governor Bill Lee sent off approximately 50 Tennessee Guard personnel to support the Texas National Guard and the Texas Department of Safety on Wednesday.
The Tennessee Star previously reported that Lee authorized additional Tennessee National Guard support to be sent to the U.S. southern border.
“An open border has far-reaching consequences that are fueling a drug crisis impacting both our national security and the safety of our state,” Lee said at the time. “I have authorized additional Tennessee Guard support at our Southern border as we look to address drug trafficking at the source.”
On Wednesday, Lee joined Lieutenant Governor Randy McNally and Speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives Cameron Sexton to encourage the National Guard troops before their deployment.
“In my view, there’s a level of chaos at the border in this country that needs to be addressed because there is sex trafficking, human trafficking, drug trafficking, and intense criminal activity that doesn’t just affect Arizona, Texas, and California – it affects Tennessee,” Lee said while speaking to the troops. “We can’t let that happen in our country. It isn’t the way it ought to be and so you should be proud of the fact that you’re not just serving your neighbors in Tennessee, you are serving the country.”
Lee also shared a separate statement on Twitter, writing, “The crisis at the Southwest Border is surging but our @TennesseeGuard personnel have stepped up to protect our national security and stop the flow of illegal drugs that are killing Tennesseans.”
The crisis at the Southwest Border is surging but our @TennesseeGuard personnel have stepped up to protect our national security and stop the flow of illegal drugs that are killing Tennesseans. pic.twitter.com/KzCh0rNsSj
— Gov. Bill Lee (@GovBillLee) January 26, 2022
Tennessee Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN) also released a statement on Twitter, “Thank you, @GovBillLee, for working to put an end to the national security and humanitarian crisis at our southern border to keep Tennesseans safe, and thank you to @TennesseeGuard for your honorable service. We are behind you and praying for you.”
Thank you, @GovBillLee, for working to put an end to the national security and humanitarian crisis at our southern border to keep Tennesseans safe, and thank you to @TennesseeGuard for your honorable service. We are behind you and praying for you. https://t.co/tMss3Rmh7q
— Senator Bill Hagerty (@SenatorHagerty) January 27, 2022
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Email tips to [email protected]
Photo “Bill Lee” by Bill Lee.
