Tennessee is deploying National Guard members to the southern border as Republican governors continue to support Texas in its standoff with the Biden administration over immigration enforcement.
Governor Bill Lee, who visited the southern border in Eagle Pass, Texas, earlier this month, met with members of the Tennessee National Guard at the Millington Tennessee Army National Guard Armory prior to his voluntary deployment.
“As the United States faces the most serious border crisis in decades, TN is showing the rest of the country what it means to lead,” the Tennessee governor posted on X. “Today I joined members of the TN National Guard who will soon be “They will voluntarily deploy a mission to secure the southern border while the federal government does not act.”
The initial deployment will consist of 50 members and will last until March before a second wave replaces them later in the spring. It was unclear where exactly they would be sent.
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Governor Bill Lee met with members of the Tennessee National Guard at the Millington Armory on Saturday. (Governor Bill Lee/X)
During his visit to Eagle Pass, Lee met with Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry and other Republicans in a show of force to support Texas Governor Greg Abbott.
Governor Lee said National Guard members are deploying on a volunteer mission to secure the southern border while the federal government fails to act on immigration enforcement. (Governor Bill Lee/X)
Abbott has clashed with Biden and his administration, accusing the federal government of not being tough enough on illegal crossings.
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Republicans have long criticized the Biden administration for reversing Trump-era border policies and creating a crisis at the southern border that is seeing waves of migrants cross illegally daily.
Tennessee will deploy about 50 National Guard members in two waves over the next few months. (Governor Bill Lee/X)
In December alone, the United States Border Patrol reported that there were more than 300,000 encounters, an all-time record.
Meanwhile, Biden and his administration have tried to shift the blame for the crisis onto Republicans. The administration says it is working with a broken system that needs significantly more funding and comprehensive immigration reform.
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Both Biden and former President Trump, the front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination, made dueling visits to Texas' southern border on Thursday as immigration remains a top voter concern.
Fox News' Brie Stimson contributed to this report.
