Enforcing the Law: Tennessee's Comprehensive Immigration Enforcement Package

The people of District 38 have been clear with me about where they stand on illegal immigration. They support legal immigration and the incredible contributions that people who come here through the right process make to our state. But they also believe that laws should mean something, that borders should be respected, and that the safety and resources of our communities should not be undermined by those who came here illegally.

This session, Tennessee Republicans passed the most comprehensive state-level immigration enforcement package in the country, and I was proud to support it.

We established state-level criminal penalties for individuals who are unlawfully present in the United States and have received final orders of removal but refused to leave. If the federal government will not act, Tennessee will.

We required all county sheriffs in Tennessee to enter into agreements with federal immigration officials to assist in the enforcement, detention, and removal of illegal immigrants. Law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration authorities is now mandatory, not optional, and sheriffs who do not comply risk losing state funding.

We required government employers to verify the work authorization status of every new hire and every appointee. Tennessee taxpayer-funded jobs should go to people who are legally authorized to work in this country.

We ended sanctuary courts. Tennessee courts are now required to cooperate with federal immigration authorities when they are enforcing immigration law. Judges who obstruct or interfere with federal immigration enforcement can face disciplinary action and even removal from the bench.

We required law enforcement to honor federal immigration detainers, holding individuals for up to 48 hours so federal authorities can take custody. We barred illegal immigrants from receiving professional licenses in Tennessee. And we required written driver's license examinations to be administered in English, with a one-time limited exception.

We also required local governments and health departments to verify legal status for adults applying for public benefits. Tennessee taxpayers work hard for their money, and the programs funded by that money should serve the people they were designed to serve.

These are commonsense measures that protect our communities, respect our laws, and send a clear message that Tennessee will not be a magnet for illegal immigration. We welcome those who come here the right way. We will enforce the law for those who do not.