FIRST ON FOX: Republican governors from across the United States are expressing their support for President-elect Trump’s plans for a historic mass deportation campaign next year, and promising to work with him to get it done.
“As Republican governors, we stand united in support of President Donald Trump’s unwavering commitment to make America safe again by addressing the illegal immigration crisis and deporting illegal immigrants who pose a threat to our communities and national security,” 26 Republican governors said in a joint statement.
The statement was led by Republican Governors Association (RGA) Policy Chair Henry McMaster. McMaster, the governor of South Carolina, became policy chair in November and this marks his first action in this role.
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In the statement, the governors said they had taken action during what they say is inaction by the Biden administration in the border crisis that began in 2021.
“We mobilized state resources, including law enforcement and National Guard units, to protect Americans from disastrous open border policies and prevent illegal immigration from overwhelming our country,” they say.
Trump has promised to launch the deportation campaign when sworn into office next year. He has appointed Tom Homan, former acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) director, as border czar, and South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem as his nominee to lead the Department of Homeland Security. Noem also signed the statement.
Homan has said the primary target of the deportation operation will be public safety threats, but he has also stressed that no-one in the country illegally is off the table.
A number of Democratic governors, including Massachusetts’ Maura Healey and Arizona’s Katie Hobbs, have said they won’t cooperate with the administration on deportations. But the Republican governors say they are “proud to welcome President Trump back to the White House, a leader who has consistently put America first.
“His leadership is exactly what our nation needs to restore law and order at the border, and we are eager to work alongside his Administration to tackle the critical challenges facing our nation,” they say.
“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. 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.”
CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF THE BORDER SECURITY CRISIS
They say they are prepared to use every tool at their disposal “whether through state law enforcement or the National Guard – to support President Trump in this vital mission.”
“The time for action is now. Together, we will make America safe again,” they say.
In addition to South Carolina, governors from Alabama, Arkansas, Alaska, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Ohio, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia and Wyoming are represented in the statement.
Already, the state of Texas has offered more than 1,400 acres of land to the incoming administration with which to stage mass deportations. Homan said this week he is already making plans for how that land can be used.
