Tenn. governor proposes immigration legislation ahead of special session

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Lauren Taylor Anchor/Reporter

By Lauren Taylor (Anchor/Reporter), Zachary Hill (Video Editor)

On his first day in office, President Donald Trump declared a national emergency at the U.S. southern border and signed a series of executive actions aimed at immigration reform. State legislatures are now determining how to proceed as the president intends to implement his plan to deport immigrants living in the country illegally en masse.

Tennessee’s Republican Gov. Bill Lee recently proposed an immigration agenda, which will be presented to the state’s General Assembly during a special session.

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“Tennessee has a long track record of stepping up to secure our nation’s borders and strengthening public safety,” Lee said in a statement. “President Trump has made it clear that states will play a major role in partnering with his administration to enforce immigration laws and keep communities safe, and Tennessee is heeding the call.”

Lee is proposing that Tennessee appoint a chief immigration enforcement officer. He says the officer would “coordinate directly with the Trump administration on federal immigration policies and implementation.”

The governor also wants to incentivize local governments to participate in the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement 287(g) program. The program authorizes local law enforcement to “perform specified immigration officer functions under the agency’s direction and oversight.”

Another proposal would charge local officials with a Class E felony offense if they adopt or maintain sanctuary status in violation of state law.

Last week, Straight Arrow News reported that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis also laid out similar proposals. He hopes the legislature will convene for a special session to adopt immigration policies that would aid Trump’s mass deportation plan.

Meanwhile, the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC) announced the group will mobilize the state’s immigrant community against Gov. Lee’s proposals and Trump’s mass deportation plan.

In a thread on X, the group said: “As we prepare for Trump’s continued scapegoating, demonization, and attacking of our community, we want to send a message loud and clear: Immigrants are integral to this country’s past, present, and future and we are here to stay. Even as Donald Trump returns to the White House, our vision remains the same. Together, we’ll continue educating, fighting & organizing for a stronger, more inclusive TN, and country, where all people can belong and thrive. We know we are more resilient, united, and ready to face the incoming administration with power, not panic.”

Tennessee’s special session is set to convene on Jan. 27.

Tags: Deportation, Donald Trump, Immigration, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Tennessee

ON DAY ONE, PRESIDENT TRUMP DECLARED A NATIONAL EMERGENCY AT THE US SOUTHERN BORDER AND HAS SIGNED A BEVY OF EXECUTIVE ACTIONS AIMED AT SECURING THE BORDER.

AND STATE LEGISLATORS ARE DETERMINING HOW TO PROCEED AS THE PRESIDENT INTENDS TO IMPLEMENT HIS PLAN OF MASS DEPORTATIONS OF UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS.

TENNESSEE’S REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR BILL LEE PROPOSED HIS IMMIGRATION AGENDA SET TO GO BEFORE THE STATE’S GENERAL ASSEMBLY DURING A SPECIAL SESSION.

“TENNESSEE HAS A LONG TRACK RECORD OF STEPPING UP TO SECURE OUR NATION’S BORDERS AND STRENGTHENING PUBLIC SAFETY. PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS MADE IT CLEAR THAT STATES WILL PLAY A MAJOR ROLE IN PARTNERING WITH HIS ADMINISTRATION TO ENFORCE IMMIGRATION LAWS AND KEEP COMMUNITIES SAFE, AND TENNESSEE IS HEEDING THE CALL,” GOVERNOR LEE SAID IN A STATEMENT.

LEE PROPOSES TENNESSEE APPOINT A CHIEF IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT OFFICER TO “COORDINATE DIRECTLY WITH THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ON FEDERAL IMMIGRATION POLICIES AND IMPLEMENTATION.”

THE GOVERNOR ALSO WANTS TO INCENTIVIZE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE US IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT 287(G) PROGRAM WHICH AUTHORITIZES LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT TO “PERFORM SPECIFIED IMMIGRATION OFFICER FUNCTIONS UNDER THE AGENCY’S DIRECTION AND OVERSIGHT.”

ANOTHER PROPOSAL WOULD CHARGE LOCAL OFFICIALS WITH A CLASS E FELONY OFFENSE IF THEY ADOPT OR MAINTAIN SANCTUARY STATUS IN VIOLATION OF STATE LAW.

LAST WEEK, STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS REPORTED ON FLORIDA GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS ALSO LAYING OUT SIMILAR PROPOSALS AS HE’S HOPING THE LEGISLATURE WILL CONVENE FOR A SPECIAL SESSION TO ADOPT IMMIGRATION POLICIES THAT WOULD AID PRESIDENT TRUMP’S MASS DEPORTATION PLAN.

MEANWHILE, THE TENNESSEE IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE RIGHTS COALITION (TIRRC) ANNOUNCED THE GROUP WILL BE MOBILIZING THE STATE’S IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY AGAINST GOVERNOR LEE’S PROPOSALS AND TRUMP’S MASS DEPORTATION PLAN.

IN A POST ON X, THE GROUP SAID QUOTE:“AS WE PREPARE FOR TRUMP’S CONTINUED SCAPEGOATING, DEMONIZATION, AND ATTACKING OF OUR COMMUNITY, WE WANT TO SEND A MESSAGE LOUD AND CLEAR: IMMIGRANTS ARE INTEGRAL TO THIS COUNTRY’S PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE AND WE ARE HERE TO STAY. EVEN AS DONALD TRUMP RETURNS TO THE WHITE HOUSE, OUR VISION REMAINS THE SAME. TOGETHER, WE’LL CONTINUE EDUCATING, FIGHTING & ORGANIZING FOR A STRONGER, MORE INCLUSIVE TN, AND COUNTRY, WHERE ALL PEOPLE CAN BELONG AND THRIVE. WE KNOW WE ARE MORE RESILIENT, UNITED, AND READY TO FACE THE INCOMING ADMINISTRATION WITH POWER, NOT PANIC.”

TENNESSEE’S SPECIAL SESSION IS SET TO CONVENE ON JANUARY 27TH.