TN Governor Expresses Concern Over Federal Migrant Children Ruling

Officials with Gov. Bill Lee’s administration say the federal government will not alert Tennessee on when unaccompanied migrant children are brought to the state to be placed with sponsors. Brandon Gibson, Lee’s chief operating officer, told lawmakers Tuesday that the federal Department of Health and Human Services says that privacy concerns prevent the agency from disclosing such information. Gibson gave her remarks on Tuesday before a legislative panel made up of entirely of GOP members. The group is tasked with investigating refugee and immigration settlement in Tennessee after a local television station aired footage of children arriving at a Chattanooga airport and boarding buses in the middle of the night.