Tennessee Passes Law Criminalizing Illegal Immigration
Tennessee has introduced a law that makes illegal immigration a criminal offense following a ruling by a judge to dismiss a lawsuit from immigrant advocacy groups.
U.S. District Judge Eli Richardson determined that the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the National Immigration Law Center lacked the standing to contest the law. He criticized the lawsuit as being more about the interests of lawyers than those affected by immigration issues.
The judge pointed out that the organizations involved in the litigation aren’t affected by the law and thus cannot challenge it. Additionally, the request from the activist group to pursue a class action lawsuit was declined.
Signed by Republican Governor Bill Lee, the law, known as bill 1704, was established in April as part of the state’s broader Republican initiative termed “Immigration 2026.”
This legislation, put forward by House Republican Majority Leader William Lambreth, is set to take effect on July 1. It classifies the act of knowingly remaining in Tennessee for over 90 days after a deportation order as a Class A misdemeanor. Additionally, re-entering Tennessee after a deportation is also considered a crime, punishable by up to one year in prison and a fine reaching $2,500.
With this move, Tennessee joins a number of states adopting similar laws that criminalize entries by undocumented immigrants. Just last year, Iowa’s Governor Kim Reynolds signed a bill making illegal immigration a state crime. Texas had implemented a similar law previously, which faced legal challenges but was upheld by the Supreme Court.
Furthermore, there are now three other states—Mississippi, Louisiana, and Oklahoma—that have also enacted similar laws.
Tennessee’s law follows a report from the state that raised concerns about rising immigration-related crimes during the Biden administration. According to the annual report released by the Tennessee District Attorney General’s Office, illegal immigrants were implicated in over 2,100 violent crimes during 2025, which included numerous severe offenses.
The report, required by law, aims to compile data regarding individuals charged or convicted of crimes who are not legally present in the country. Republican state Representative Dan Howell expressed disbelief at the findings, labeling them as “really, really bad.” He emphasized the seriousness of the situation, pointing out the severe consequences for Tennesseans.
“These are the criminals liberals want to defend when they defund ICE,” he commented, referring to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Howell concluded by stating that the state cannot tolerate these issues and will take necessary steps to ensure safety.
