Tennssee Passes Another Anti-Immigration Law & This One Criminalizes VOTING For Sanctuary Policies
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On Wednesday, Tennessee’s governor Bill Lee signed into law new anti-immigration provisions that had passed the state’s legislature.
The new law creates a “centralized immigration division” within the state’s department of safety. It will be headed by the “chief immigration officer.” That officer is tasked to “attempt to enter into the terms of an agreement” with the federal government over a 287(g) agreement.
The new law also amends Tennessee Code 4-42-103, which previously read:
No state governmental entity or official shall adopt or enact a sanctuary policy. A state governmental entity that adopts or enacts a sanctuary policy is ineligible to enter into any grant contract with the department of economic and community development until the sanctuary policy is repealed, rescinded, or otherwise no longer in effect.
That language is now subsection (a) of 4-42-103 and subsection (b) of the same provision makes it “unlawful for an official to violate subsection (a)” and a “Class E felony.”
The new law also amends Tennessee Code 7-68-103, which previously read:
No local governmental entity or official shall adopt or enact a sanctuary policy. A local governmental entity that adopts or enacts a sanctuary policy is ineligible to enter into any grant contract with the department of economic and community development until the sanctuary policy is repealed, rescinded, or otherwise no longer in effect.
That language is now subsection (a) of 7-68-103 and subsection (b) now reads:
It is unlawful for an official to violate subsection (a). A violation of subsection (a) is a Class E felony. For purposes of this subsection (b), each official who, in their capacity as a member of the governing body of a local government, votes in the affirmative to adopt a sanctuary policy is in violation of this section.
Another provisions includes statutorily limiting driver’s licenses exclusively to U.S. citizens and LPRs.
The law is slated to go into effect July 1, 2025.
-KitJ