Issue Position: Enforcing the Law

Issue Position

The security of our citizens is not the place to play politics.
Immigration is a federal responsibility but a state concern. My first priority as governor will be to keep our citizens safe. Border security, improved vetting, and intelligent immigration policies are common-sense solutions that our state should support.

We don't advance public safety or the national conversation on immigration by undermining the law. That's why I 100% oppose sanctuary city policies. They're reckless invitations to lawlessness that make Tennesseans unsafe and make it harder for law enforcement to do their job.

We can have compassion for any human being fleeing a distressed situation. But the law is the law, and our elected leaders have a duty to enforce the law and support public safety.

We must stand with law enforcement to keep our communities safe.
The chief obligation of a governor is to protect the state and its citizens. Every parent in Tennessee wants to raise their child in a safe neighborhood. To make that a reality, we need the help of law enforcement. That's why I believe the best path forward is to defend our police officers and stand up for their mission, and why as governor I will lead that dialogue and resist those who would seek to undermine law enforcement.

You can be both tough and smart on crime.
For the last decade, I have been involved with a men's prison ministry called Men of Valor. We work with ex-offenders to help them pursue a life of purpose inspired by Christ and achieve a chance to right past wrongs. Through that work, I have come to a deeper understanding of how our criminal justice system works and how it can be improved.

For one, we need truth-in-sentencing in Tennessee. We must give victims and their families the certainty to know that the sentence given to someone who harmed them will stick. Second, we must make sure our system prioritizes violent offenders over non-violent offenders, creating a system that reduces recidivism and lowers costs for the state. By enacting smart criminal justice reforms, we can keep violent criminals in jail and be good stewards of taxpayer dollars at the same time.

Source