In just his first weeks back in the Oval Office, President Trump has taken strong action to secure our border. Through executive actions alone, the President has restored the successful Remain-in-Mexico policy, restarted border wall construction, ended catch-and-release, sent troops to the southern border, conducted deportations, and done so much more to Make America Safe Again.

Already, we’re seeing incredible results. In operations across the country, Immigration and Customs Enforcement has arrested more than 8,700 illegal aliens and deported another 5,693, including many violent offenders and gang members. Since Inauguration Day, meanwhile, migrant encounters at the southern border have reportedly dropped 90 percent.

To be certain, forceful efforts to secure our border are urgently needed. For four years, former President Biden allowed more than 10 million illegal aliens to enter our country, including tens of thousands of convicted criminals. And for four years, Tennesseans and Americans across the country have suffered the tragic consequences, including rampant migrant crime.

Recently, the Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference released a report documenting the widespread migrant crime in our state during the final months of the Biden administration—proving that during the Biden years, every town was a border town and every state was a border state.

Between October 1, 2024, and December 31, 2024, there were a staggering 2,719 reports of illegal aliens being charged or convicted of 3,854 offenses in the State of Tennessee. Among them, the most common offense was driving under the influence, at 654 arrests. Shockingly, these offenses accounted for more than 13 percent of all DUI arrests statewide. This problem is a big reason why, last year, my Republican colleagues and I introduced the Protect Our Communities From DUIs Act, which would automatically deport any illegal who is charged with driving under the influence.

Over the same period, illegal aliens committed hundreds of violent, heinous crimes: 154 instances of domestic assault, 80 of aggravated assault, 21 of child abuse, 9 of statutory rape, 8 of sexual exploitation of a minor, 7 of vehicular homicide, 4 of murder, 3 of rape of a child, and much more. Disturbingly, these numbers are likely an undercount: Only 73 of Tennessee’s 95 counties reported data to the District Attorneys General Conference.

Under Biden, national data showed that illegal aliens were pouring in from countries all over the world—and the Tennessee migrant crime report reflects this, too. Across all the offenders, there were 92 unique countries of origin, from Mexico and Guatemala to Jamaica and Romania.

More than anything, the report underscores the importance of President Trump’s mass deportations, which are already underway. Thankfully, there are many ways for Congress to support these efforts.

My CLEAR Act, for example, would ensure state and local law enforcement officials have the tools to help the federal government deport criminal illegal aliens. My Preventing Violence Against Women by Illegal Aliens Act, meanwhile, would allow the deportation of illegal aliens convicted of sexual offenses or domestic violence. And my CONTAINER Act would ensure that border states such as Texas have legal authority to place temporary barriers on federal land to help stop the flow of traffickers, drugs, and criminals at the southern border.

With millions of illegals residing in Tennessee and across the country, we should be using every resource at our disposal to remove them from our country. In many ways, these bills would help President Trump get the job done.