Tennessee Lawmakers, Mirroring Trump Agenda, Pass Bills on Immigration and School Vouchers
New York Times5 days
Tennessee Passes Strict Immigration Bill
story
Above: Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee speaks during the Republican National Convention (RNC) on July 16, 2024. Image copyright: Eva Marie Uzcategui/Contributor/Bloomberg via Getty Images
The Facts
The Tennessee legislature this week passed a sweeping immigration enforcement bill during a special session called by Republican Gov. Bill Lee, creating a new state immigration division and allocating $5.5M for implementation.
The legislation establishes a four-person Centralized Immigration Enforcement Division within the state's Department of Safety to coordinate with federal authorities and administer grants to local law enforcement agencies.
The bill also creates a Class E felony offense — punishable by up to six years in prison and a $3K fine — for local officials who vote to adopt sanctuary city policies, despite warnings from legislative attorneys about constitutional concerns.
The Spin
Republican narrative
Democrats' attempts to cast this bill in a negative light are nothing more than them putting politics over public safety. The bane of sanctuary cities is now prohibited and there are now enforceable punishments for those who attempt to establish them in Tennessee.
Democratic narrative
This unconstitutional bill represents government overreach and is a smack in the face to the rule of law. Criminalizing elected officials' votes sets a dangerous precedent and smells of authoritarianism. This isn't what the people of Tennessee voted for and it won't make them any safer.
