Democratic Governor Andy Beshear has stated that he has not received any specific requests from federal immigration authorities for assistance but is open to evaluating any that come his way.
During a Thursday news conference, Beshear emphasized that he would consider any requests carefully to ensure the safety of Kentucky residents. “I would want to evaluate anything and everything that comes to us and then try to do the right thing for the people of Kentucky, for the safety of those involved,” he said. “My approach is that border security is national security.”
Beshear acknowledged that Kentucky law enforcement has cooperated on certain requests in the past, though these were related to general law enforcement rather than direct immigration enforcement. He also clarified that his administration has worked with authorities in cases involving individuals who have broken the law or committed violent offenses.
“Certainly, there are instances where if we know of somebody who has broken the law, that has committed a violent offense, then that’s somebody that we would normally work with, whether it’s with immigration or just regular law enforcement, to apprehend and make our community safer,” he explained.
During his first term in office, former President Donald Trump signed several executive orders aimed at increasing immigration enforcement. One of the first laws Trump signed in his second term was the Laken Riley Act, which mandates federal detention for migrants without legal status who are accused of theft, burglary, assaulting a police officer, or any violent crime. The law does not require a conviction before detention.
As part of these enforcement measures, nationwide operations targeting undocumented immigrants have begun. However, Beshear stated that his office has not been made aware of any planned raids in Kentucky. “We have not been informed of any specific raid anywhere in the Commonwealth,” he said.
Beshear also expressed skepticism about using the Kentucky National Guard for immigration enforcement. He noted that many Guard members have civilian jobs outside of law enforcement and may not have the necessary training to participate in immigration raids.
“Most of the National Guard are your neighbors. They have jobs that aren’t necessarily in law enforcement, that don’t have certain types of training that would be like those that immigration officers would use, say, in carrying out a raid,” Beshear said. “Using some of those individuals would not be safe in an operation that they don’t have the training for.”
Last week, the acting secretary of the Department of Homeland Security issued a memo declaring that the “actual or imminent mass influx” of undocumented immigrants at the U.S. southern border poses a risk to every state. The memo called for the assistance of state and local governments across the country in addressing the situation.
Beshear reiterated his belief that immigration laws must be enforced while also recognizing the humanity of those seeking refuge in the U.S. “We ought to be recognizing that while we are enforcing our immigration laws, they are people,” he said. “They are children of God.”
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