LINCOLN, Neb. (Nebraska Examiner) – Gov. Jim Pillen announced he would follow President-elect Donald Trump’s lead in deporting “dangerous criminals, gang members and terrorists who are in the country illegally.”

In a midweek statement, Pillen said he stood with 25 other Republican governors who have said they are prepared to use every tool at their disposal to follow Trump’s lead on government control. immigration.

“We are prepared to use every tool at our disposal – whether through state law enforcement or the National Guard – to support President Trump in this vital mission,” Pillen and the other governors in a joint statement.

Pillen’s multiple visits to the border

Republican governors said they “took action” to secure the borders under the Biden administration: “We have mobilized state resources, including law enforcement and National Guard units, to protect Americans’ disastrous open border policies and prevent illegal immigration from overwhelming our country. »

Pillen, over the past two years, has deployed Nebraska National Guard troops and state troopers to the southern border at a cost of nearly $2.27 million. As governor, he visited the border three times and said Nebraska’s efforts were helping to reduce the number of people and the trafficking of illegal drugs.

In response to the governors’ letter, the Center for Immigration and Refugee Advancement said it remains committed to educating Nebraska leaders about the damage caused by “dangerous and inaccurate rhetoric about those seeking refuge in our state.”

CIRA officials said supporting Trump’s immigration policies would result in a loss of millions of dollars in state tax revenue from Nebraska’s immigrant community — making Pillen’s current challenge of filling Nebraska’s revenue deficit ‘significantly more difficult.’

Dylan Severino of the ACLU Nebraska said the governor’s commitment to supporting Trump’s mass deportation efforts “makes us all less safe.”

“When local authorities take over immigration enforcement, fewer crime victims and witnesses report crimes because they fear the consequences for themselves, their neighbors, or loved ones who do not. “They do not currently have immigration status,” he said. “Unreported crimes harm the public safety of entire communities. »

Severino said it’s worrying to see governors trying to link immigration and crime.

“Governor. Pillen should push for solutions like more legal pathways, universal representation in immigration courts, and better processing,” he said.

Las Voces officials in Nebraska said they agreed that dangerous criminals and terrorists should be deported, but noted that Trump had promised otherwise.

“The administration has said that citizen and status-eligible children should be deported if they want their families to stay together. Las Voces condemns this inhumane process and the use of the army against children, citizens and civilians,” the group said in a statement.

The bishops speak out

Meanwhile, on Thursday, on the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Nebraska’s Catholic bishops shared a letter in English and Spanish with migrants across the state. They expressed compassion, solidarity and support for Nebraska’s immigrants, including those concerned about the possibility of mass deportations.

“As pastors, we know that Jesus wants to draw close to you during this difficult and perhaps frightening time,” the bishops said. “We are also with you to support and accompany you in the name of Jesus.”

The bishops pledged their continued support as advocates for Nebraska and Washington, D.C., and called on all Nebraskans to respond to the needs of our “migrant brothers and sisters.”

“(We) want you to know that we will advocate in Nebraska and Washington for respect for human dignity and family relationships, as well as for the special care due to children that should characterize a just and lawful community,” said the bishops. “We invite our neighbors to join us in advocating for respectful treatment of all, within the law. »

Pillen and the other governors said “now is the time to act.”

“We understand the direct threat these illegal criminal immigrants pose to public safety and our national security, and we will do everything in our power to help remove them from our communities,” the joint statement said.

Besides Pillen, the governors who signed a joint letter were: Alabama Governor Kay Ivey, Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy, Arkansas Governor Sarah Sanders, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Georgia Brian Kemp, Idaho Governor Brad Little, Indiana. Governor Eric Holcomb, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry, Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves, Missouri Governor Mike Parson, Montana Governor Greg Gianforte, Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo, Governor of New Hampshire Chris Sununu, North Dakota Governor Doug Bergum, Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster, South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, Texas Governor Greg Abbott, Utah Governor Spencer Cox, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin, West Virginia Governor. Jim Justice and Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon.

Nebraska Examiner is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Nebraska Examiner maintains editorial independence. Contact editor Cate Folsom with any questions: [email protected]. Follow Nebraska Examiner on Facebook And X.

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