Gov. Bill Lee appoints TN's first Chief Immigration Enforcement Officer
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Ryan Hubbard, the governor's appointee, was commissioned as a Special Agent with the state's Office of Homeland Security last month. Previously, he had been a U.S. Border Patrol agent in Arizona and a Special Agent with the U.S. Immigration and Neutralization Service.
'Tennessee has a long track record of stepping up to secure our Nation's borders, and we stand ready to be a willing partner as the Trump Administration strengthens public safety by enforcing immigration laws on the books,' Lee said. 'Ryan Hubbard is a dedicated public servant with decades of experience in immigration enforcement, and I am confident he is the right person to oversee this new division.'
Hubbard will oversee the Chief Immigration Enforcement Division, which was established through legislation passed by the General Assembly during a Special Session this January. The division is meant to work with local and state law enforcement agencies and pursue agreements that allow designated local officers to enforce parts of federal immigration law.
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'This office is about protecting Tennesseans from those who are already known threats—people with final deportation orders or serious criminal convictions who remain in our communities,'Commissioner Jeff Long said. 'Ryan's extensive experience makes him the right leader to build strong partnerships with local agencies and deliver results.'
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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