Governor Bill Lee and other federal & state elected officials visited 100 Tennessee National Guard troops in Millington before their deployment to secure the U.S.-Mexico border.
On Saturday, Lee stated in a social media post, “Today, I joined federal & state elected officials in Millington to visit with our guard members before their deployment to the nation’s southern border. These TN National Guard troops represent the very best of the Volunteer State, & we are so grateful for their service.”
Today, I joined federal & state elected officials in Millington to visit with our guard members before their deployment to the nation’s southern border.
These TN National Guard troops represent the very best of the Volunteer State, & we are so grateful for their service. pic.twitter.com/DjHQw5KYzQ
— Gov. Bill Lee (@GovBillLee) June 3, 2023
Lee initially announced the deployment of the troops to the border on May 25 after he and fellow Republican governors released a statement vowing to “stand ready to protect the U.S.-Mexico border and keep families safe.”
Lee’s announcement also came after he joined Texas Governor Greg Abbott at a border security briefing in Austin, where Abbott invited states to support “Operation Lone Star” to secure the U.S. southern border following the end of Title 42.
The 100 Tennessee troops, according to the governor’s office, will provide the following support along the U.S. southern border:
- Patrolling and providing additional security presence along the border
- Assisting road and route clearance, barrier placement and debris removal
- Staffing outpost operations
“The men and women of the Tennessee National Guard are always ready to serve their country anywhere, anytime,” Brigadier General Warner Ross, Tennessee’s adjutant general, said in a statement. “These troops are a capable contingent that will continue our long-standing tradition of responding to the call to aid our fellow Americans. The Tennessee National Guard is proud to serve and support our state partners in safeguarding the United States along the U.S. Southern border.”
Tennessee joins a growing list of states sending troops to the southern border.
On Wednesday, the Republican governors of Virginia, South Carolina, and West Virginia joined Tennessee, Florida, Mississippi, Iowa, and Nebraska in sending troops to help secure the border, according to Fox News.
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network.
Photo “Governor Lee Visits with the Tennessee National Guard Members” by Gov. Bill Lee.
