Governor Bill Lee: What would Jesus do about immigration? (Not this)
During my tenure with the Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP), I had the privilege of serving alongside many dedicated officers and interacting with countless members of the Latino community. A vast majority of these individuals are striving to build a better life for their families, and they embody the hardworking spirit that defines our nation.
Also, as a Christian, I believe in welcoming and supporting our neighbors, not instilling fear.
Reflecting on our history, if Native Americans had an enforcement agency akin to today's ICE, many of us would not be here. This perspective should guide our approach to immigration today.
As a retired THP Captain, I fully support bringing violent criminals—regardless of their background—to justice. However, this must be done through lawful and humane means. Immigrants who contribute positively to our communities and are not involved in violent crime deserve a path to citizenship, not the threat of deportation.
The recent partnership between ICE and THP in South Nashville, which led to over 100 detentions, has raised significant concerns. This operation, conducted without prior notification to local officials, disproportionately targeted the Latino community and has instilled fear among law-abiding residents.
Nashville's immigrant population, constituting about nine percent of the metro area, includes many who are essential to our local economy and culture.
Critics, including the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition, have condemned these actions as racial profiling and an erosion of trust in law enforcement. Local leaders, such as Mayor Freddie O'Connell, have expressed opposition to these tactics, emphasizing that they conflict with Nashville's values of inclusivity and safety.
More: Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell: Recent ICE arrests caused 'deep community harm'
I do not fault the officers involved; they are carrying out orders. However, I question the leadership that sanctions such operations. Under Governor Bill Haslam, our focus was on addressing areas with high crime rates and traffic incidents, not targeting specific communities based on appearance or ethnicity.
The recent legislation requiring local law enforcement to assist federal immigration authorities has further complicated this issue. While proponents argue it enhances public safety, opponents warn it could lead to additional racial profiling and undermine community trust.
Governor Lee, I urge you to consider the moral implications of these policies. Would Jesus, who taught us to love our neighbors, support actions that instill fear and division?
I believe the answer is clear.
It's time for Tennessee to return to a law enforcement philosophy rooted in justice, compassion and leadership, that serves all people equally.
Retired Captain Mark Proctor served with the Tennessee Highway Patrol for 25+ years, including in Command roles under Governor Bill Haslam. He is a lifelong Tennessean and resides in Nashville.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: ICE arrests may be legal, but they're not morally correct | Opinion
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
22 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Oakland PD asks for help solving fatal shooting cold case
(KRON) – The Oakland Police Department is asking for public assistance in solving the fatal shooting of 24-year-old Bert Brigham III. Brigham's death occurred almost four years ago on July 18, 2021, in the 1900 block of Foothill Boulevard. Oakland business looted following anti-ICE protest OPD has released images of four male suspects in their 20s and vehicles that may be connected to the case (pictured below). Per OPD, a white Kia Optima, a blue Toyota Camry, and a dark Honda Accord were the cars associated with the suspects. Anyone with information regarding this homicide is asked to contact the Oakland Police Department Homicide Section at (510) 238-3821. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
22 minutes ago
- Yahoo
San Diego Police Department urges peace, warns against violence in anti-ICE protests
(Above: Report by FOX 5/KUSI's Jennifer Franco on May 30 about the ICE operations at Buona Forchetta) SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — The San Diego Police Department issued a statement Friday regarding the federal immigration enforcement actions happening nationwide. Following on the heels of an announcement made earlier this week by the San Diego County Chiefs and Sheriff's Association, SDPD said it 'fully supports the right to peacefully assemble and exercise free speech' and that it recognizes how the actions taken by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have 'deeply affected' the community. What is the difference between democracy and authoritarian rule? However, the department warned that damaging property or conducting other violent acts will have legal consequences. 'The San Diego Police Department does not enforce federal immigration laws, nor do we inquire about immigration status,' the department stated. 'Our mission is focused on public safety.' At the end of last month, ICE agents conducted two immigration enforcement operations at an Italian restaurant, Buona Forchetta, and its sister restaurant in South Park. San Diego police officers were also called in to assist after the heightened response led to a crowd of people gathering around the scene, attempting to prevent the ICE agents and their vehicles from leaving. The warnings come ahead of another wave of protests planned for Saturday called 'No Kings Day,' a nationwide movement which is aimed against several policies and actions made by the Trump administration, including strict immigration enforcement. Here's where 'No Kings' events are happening in San Diego County. SDPD's reaction to the federal crackdown on illegal immigration echoes a similar sentiment made by the county's law enforcement association on Tuesday. Chula Vista Police Chief Roxana Kennedy, who is also the president of the San Diego County Chiefs and Sheriff's Association, said assaults on law enforcement or acts like looting, vandalism and arson 'will not be tolerated.' 'Should federal authorities request our assistance due to safety concerns, local law enforcement will respond as necessary to ensure the protection of all involved—officers, agents, and members of the public alike,' her statement on behalf of the association read. 'This support is strictly for safety and security purposes and does not reflect participation in immigration enforcement.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
22 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Trump's Military Crackdown Is Starting To Dent His Poll Numbers
As Donald Trump launched his militarized crackdown in Los Angeles, the president and many of his advisers were convinced that deploying troops to the streets of a major American city would be good politics for them. They maintain, three people familiar with the matter say, that immigration was one of Trump's strongest issues, that it helped get him back in the White House, and that his mass deportation program has polled well since the 2024 campaign. No matter the pushback to Trump sending in the troops (likely illegally) from Democrats, the media, or protesters, the administration's brain trust saw this as a winner for them — and something they wish to replicate. 'If it works out well in L.A., expect it everywhere,' a Trump administration official said of the president's desire for militarized Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids across the nation. (This official and the other three sources spoke on the condition of anonymity in order to discuss internal deliberations.) But just days into Trump's deployment of National Guard troops and Marines to quell anti-ICE protests in L.A., new public polling suggests that Trump's recent deportation operations, and his decision to use the military against his domestic enemies, are not boosting his approval ratings. In fact, Trump's latest power grab is tanking his latest numbers. Trump's general platform of federal immigration crackdowns polled well in the build-up to his election and second term; 2024 polling showed Trump's calls for grand-scale deportations of undocumented immigrants enjoyed majority support. (However, that majority support diminished when voters were pressed on specific policies and methods.) In April of last year — to the alarm of Democratic operatives and Biden officials — a Harris Poll survey showed 42 percent of Democrats warming up to the idea. According to a polling analysis by data journalist G. Elliott Morris, Trump entered office with a strong positive approval rating on immigration. But those ratings peaked in February at a high of +11.3 percent. Now, for the second time since April, Morris' polling average shows Trump's immigration approval rating in the negatives. It appears the militarized incursion into Los Angeles is not playing well with the public at large. A recent YouGov survey shows 47 percent of American adults disapprove of Trump ordering the Marines to L.A., compared to 34 percent who support it. In the same poll, 45 percent disapprove of the president's use of National Guard troops, with 38 percent of respondents backing it. This aligns with a Wednesday Quinnipiac poll that found 54 percent of respondents disapprove of Trump's handling of immigration, and that 56 percent disapprove of his handling of deportations. (This is a markedly negative turn from an April Quinnipiac poll that found only 50 percent of respondents disapproved of his handling of immigration issues.) Similarly, a Thursday AP/NORC poll found that 53 percent disapproved of Trump's handling of immigration, compared to 46 percent who approve. A text survey conducted by The Washington Post and George Mason University's Schar School found that the public rated Trump's immigration and deportation policies 'negatively by a 15 percentage-point margin, 52 percent to 37 percent.' A Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Thursday shows a stark disconnect between the public's general approval for strong action to restore order, and disapproval of what Trump is doing in Southern California. It found that 48 percent of respondents theoretically agree with the statement that the president should 'deploy the military to bring order to the streets.' But only 38 percent of respondents actually approved of how the president is responding to protests in Los Angeles. Those numbers are likely to continue trending downward as the Trump administration continues to behave badly in L.A. On Thursday — during a press conference in which Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem declared her department would be staying in Los Angeles to 'liberate this city from the socialist and burdensome leadership' of Democrats — Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) was tackled to the ground and handcuffed by FBI agents when he attempted to ask a question of Noem. Video of Padilla's detention quickly went viral on social media. After being released without charges, the senator told reporters that 'if this is how DHS responds to a senator with a question you can only imagine what they're doing to farm workers, to cooks, to day laborers out in the Los Angeles community and throughout California.' Without a doubt the videos and stories of teenagers, pregnant women, and everyday working people being chased and detained by ICE is reaffirming what polling and surveys have long showed to be true: Americans generally believe that undocumented migrants with criminal records should be deported, but they are generally put off by indiscriminate immigration raids and deportations that disregard the circumstances of the individual. There's a silver lining, perhaps, for Trump and his party in some of this data. Democrats in Congress are also wildly unpopular, driven by dissatisfaction from their own liberal voters. 'The public supports keeping America safe and secure, and they don't like the concept of people here illegally — the issue is how it's administered,' says Frank Luntz, a longtime pollster and a conservative Trump critic. 'They have an agenda the American people support; their problem is the way they execute it and articulate it.' Voters do want immigration laws enforced, he says, but they 'don't want senators beaten up at press conferences. This has been the challenge of the Trump administration from the beginning,' Luntz adds, 'because they think they are on the right track, but the way it's being administered right now, they're not.' Even the president himself — who wrote on Thursday that 'all' undocumented people 'have to go home' — seems to be oscillating on the issue, at least from a public-relations standpoint. Earlier in the day Trump posted on Truth Social that 'farmers and people in the Hotel and Leisure business have been stating that our very aggressive policy on immigration is taking very good, long time workers away from them. This is not good,' Trump wrote. 'We must protect our Farmers, but get the CRIMINALS OUT OF THE USA. Changes are coming!' For the time being, however, the Trump administration is barreling ahead on its vision of his very American police state. 'In November, the American people resoundingly rejected the Democrat vision for immigration — open borders and millions of unvetted illegal aliens — and endorsed President Trump's vision for immigration — deportations and enforced immigration law,' White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said in a statement to Rolling Stone. 'President Trump is keeping his promise to the American people and violent left-wing rioters won't stop that.' Asked about the recent slate of negative polls for Trump on immigration, John McLaughlin, a top Trump pollster, simply replies: 'You mean the fake polls?' He points to rosy results for Trump in his own surveys and conservative-leaning polls: 'We did a national poll for Club for Growth yesterday among 1,000 likely voters and Trump's approval was 53-44 Rasmussen Reports poll today is 53-45,' McLaughlin says. More from Rolling Stone Kim Gordon Has Words for Donald Trump on Re-Recorded 'Bye Bye 25!' Trump Calls on Iran to Agree to Nuclear Deal 'Before There Is Nothing Left' Is Trump's Troop Deployment to Los Angeles Illegal? Best of Rolling Stone The Useful Idiots New Guide to the Most Stoned Moments of the 2020 Presidential Campaign Anatomy of a Fake News Scandal The Radical Crusade of Mike Pence
