The Georgia National Guard is made up of our neighbors — men and women who put their lives on hold to serve when our state needs them most. When hurricanes strike the coast, when tornadoes rip through towns, when wildfires rage — it’s the Guard we count on.

But now, Governor Brian Kemp is sending 75 Georgia National Guard soldiers and airmen to support federal ICE operations instead. Their assignments won’t be about disaster response or community protection. Instead, they’ll be asked to handle administrative work, collect data, and maintain vehicles — all to free up ICE agents for immigration crackdowns.

That’s not why the Guard exists. These troops volunteered to help in times of crisis, not to be pulled into political fights. Every Guard member diverted to ICE is one less responder ready to help Georgians in the next flood, storm, or emergency. And in a state where natural disasters are a fact of life, that choice puts us all at risk.

This is not about politics. It’s about priorities. Georgians deserve the full strength of the Guard to be there for us when disaster strikes. Our soldiers and airmen signed up to protect Georgia families, not to carry out Washington’s immigration agenda.

We call on Governor Brian Kemp and Adjutant General Thomas Carden to keep our National Guard where it belongs: focused on Georgia communities and ready to respond to real emergencies.

The Guard is our safety net. It’s the helping hand in the middle of chaos. To misuse it for ICE operations is to gamble with the safety of every family in Georgia.

Add your name to demand Georgia’s Guard stay home and on mission — protecting us, not doing ICE’s work.