More Than Half of the Country's Governors Have Now Pledged Cooperation for Trump's Deportations

A coalition of 26 Republican governors has pledged to support President-elect Donald Trump's proposed mass deportation efforts. The governors emphasized their willingness to use state resources, including law enforcement and the National Guard, to assist federal authorities in identifying and removing undocumented immigrants deemed threats to public safety and national security.

"We stand ready to utilize every tool at our disposal" and "we will do everything in our power to assist in removing them from our communities," read a letter from the Republican Governor's Association reported by Axios. The letter specifically targets "dangerous criminals, gang members, and terrorists" for deportation, noting that the initiative seeks to address public safety concerns and prevent these individuals from continuing to operate within U.S. communities.

"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," the letter continues, with signees including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem and Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin.

Also signing the letter is Utah governor Spencer Cox who has become one of the most vocal supporters of deportations, going as far a to vow a "targeted effort" by Utah's public safety and corrections departments to identify and deport undocumented immigrants "who have committed crimes and pose a threat to public safety."

The announcement aligns with comments from Trump's incoming border czar, Tom Homan, who has advocated for intensified Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity, particularly in sanctuary cities like Chicago. Homan has pledged to prosecute local officials who obstruct federal immigration enforcement efforts, warning that non-cooperation could lead to legal action or withholding of federal funds.

The statement comes as many Democratic leaders are speaking out against Trump's possible deportations. Catherine Cortez Masto from Nevada, Alex Padilla from California, and Ben Ray Luján from New Mexico wrote a letter last week President Joe Biden to take action to protect immigrant groups that might lose their legal status, with measures including strengthening the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program and speed up the renewal process for programs like Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA).