Tennessee lawmakers have introduced a bill that would require law enforcement to send undocumented immigrants accused of minor crimes to sanctuary cities instead of deporting them to other countries.
Republican state Rep. Todd Warner introduced a bill, the Tennessee Illegal Immigration Act, before Congress. The proposal would also ensure that all law enforcement agencies report illegal immigrants to federal immigration authorities.
Warner said: fox 17 Even if the federal government ultimately bears the cost of deportation, sending migrants to sanctuary cities may cost states less than deporting them back to their home countries.
“It aims to make Tennessee safer. It aims to bring the federal government to the fire and enforce immigration laws, and it requires the state to recoup some of its costs.” ” he said.
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Asylum-seeking migrants line up at a makeshift mountain campsite to be processed after crossing the border with Mexico, Friday, February 2, 2024, near Jacumba Hot Springs, California. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull, File)
Under the bill, if ICE doesn't show up to pick up illegal immigrants in its custody within 48 hours, law enforcement would help send them to sanctuary cities. Warner said arresting authorities are responsible for transporting detained migrants.
Warner said the cost would be paid for with withholdings that Tennessee generates for the federal government through its gas tax.
He said he plans to add an amendment to clarify that the bill applies only to undocumented immigrants charged with minor crimes. Violent criminals remain subject to deportation.
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Under Tennessee's illegal immigration law, if ICE doesn't show up to pick up detained illegal immigrants within 48 hours, law enforcement will help send them to sanctuary cities. (Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images)
“This is for a victimless crime. This is not for someone who committed a terrible crime,” Warner told FOX 17.
Hannah Smalley, advocacy and education manager for Tennessee Justice for Our Neighbors, argues that the proposal would unnecessarily separate immigrant families.
“The mere act of being separated from your family is harmful,” she told FOX 17. “This means that people, even those who have not been charged with a crime, will face these truly punitive consequences simply for their crime.” their immigration status; ”
Tennessee State Capitol seen from a drone. ((Photo by: Joe Sohm/Visions of America/Universal Images Group via Getty Images))
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“When an American citizen commits a crime and pays a fine or goes to jail,” she added. “Immigrants do similar things, so discussing this about someone's immigration status completely separate from any type of crime that person may have committed is not productive for our community as a whole.” It’s not the point.”
Warner said the bill still needs to be tweaked, but he is hopeful it will receive bipartisan support in Congress.
