President Donald Trump's crime and border security policies have made communities safer and won support from both citizens and law enforcement, Sen. Marsha Blackburn said Sunday.
"The numbers don't lie," the Tennessee Republican, who is running in her state's gubernatorial race, told Fox News' "Sunday Morning Futures." "They tell the story of what is taking place."
Trump's approach, she added, contrasts with policies espoused by leaders in Democrat-led cities, but law enforcement officers in those locations are painting a different picture.
"If you talk to law enforcement officers who are on the ground in these blue cities, they will tell you they are appreciative for the backup," the senator said. "And look at what the citizens are saying. They feel safer. They are pleased that there is an enforcement and a presence."
That's because everyone wants their communities to be safe, and they are welcoming the administration's actions against gang violence, Blackburn said.
"They want these gang leaders, MS-13, Tren de Aragua, apprehended and removed from their communities," she emphasized. "They want to know that their kids are going to be safe."
But Democrat city leaders have pushed for "soft on crime" policies and have tried to "make heroes out of villains and villains out of law enforcement," said Blackburn.
The senator also discussed border security, noting that the number of illegal crossings have dropped sharply under Trump.
She compared current enforcement with that under the Biden administration, when she said about 160,000 illegal entries occurred each month.
"[We are] at the lowest levels ever," she said. "We have had weeks where there are zero that were able to enter into the United States."
She said that maintaining a policy of strict enforcement is necessary to disrupt cartel operations.
"Human trafficking, sex trafficking has been a revenue stream for the cartels," said Blackburn. "This is why it is so important that in the Big Beautiful Bill we put the money in for increased enforcement at the southern border."
Blackburn also supports Trump's broader immigration strategy.
"The Democrats tried for four years to make illegal legal, and President Trump was accurate when he said we don't need new laws, we need a new president," she said. "He's enforcing [the law] at the border, he's enforcing it in the communities, and the American people are cheering for the work he is doing."
Asked about her own campaign for Tennessee governor, Blackburn highlighted public safety as a top concern, citing Memphis as a focal point.
"The FBI is surging in that area. Law enforcement is grateful to have them. We are getting great results every single day," she said.
As governor, Blackburn said she would emphasize removing violent offenders and addressing juvenile crime.
"What you can continue to do is to make certain that we fight illegal immigration, that we support our law enforcement, we apprehend those that are committing these crimes, and then that we make certain they do not reenter our communities," she commented.
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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