Image: Bill Sponsor Rep. Rusty Grills explains HB2124 on the Tennessee House floor. Image Credit: capitol.tn.gov
The Tennessee Conservative [By Adelia Kirchner] –
A bill to require local law enforcement agencies in the State of Tennessee to report illegal immigrants to the federal government was passed on the floor of the Tennessee House of Representatives by a 74-22 vote on Thursday.
House Bill 2124 (HB2124), sponsored by Rep. Rusty Grills (R-Newbern-District 71), “requires, rather than authorizes, law enforcement agencies to communicate with the appropriate federal official regarding the immigration status of any individual, including reporting knowledge that a particular alien is not lawfully present in the United States or otherwise cooperate with the appropriate federal official in the identification, apprehension, detention, or removal of aliens not lawfully present in the United States.”
On Thursday, March 14th, 2024, Rep. Grills addressed House members saying, “In the past few weeks, criminal illegal aliens have murdered a nursing student in Georgia, murdered a two-year-old in Maryland, murdered a sixteen-year-old in Texas, sexually assaulted a child in Virgina, raped a fourteen-year-old at knifepoint in Louisiana, stabbed another man repeatedly in Louisiana.”
“Just this past weekend,” he continued, “the West Tennessee Drug Taskforce confiscated 85 pounds of fentanyl on I-40 from an illegal alien. That’s enough fentanyl to kill 19 million people. This legislation requires that law enforcement officers in the state communicate with the Department of Homeland Security when they encounter a person in the country illegally.”
Rep. Justin J. Pearson (D-Memphis-District 86) spoke in opposition of HB2124, calling this type of legislation detrimental and harmful.
“I think it is rooted in racism and xenophobia that only creates more problems,” the Democrat representative stated.
Rep. Pearson then went on to say he believed that this bill is an effort to turn local law enforcement into federal officials.
“It’s the federal government’s job to deal with immigration, it is not the job of our police departments, it is not the job of our sheriffs. They’ve got enough problems to deal with,” said Rep. Pearson.
Another Democrat lawmaker, Rep. Justin Jones (D-Nashville-District 52) spoke against HB2124, recounting his recent visit to the border before calling out lawmakers in support of this bill for “standing lock in step with attacking brown people,” saying “I know how this goes.”
“At the border we witnessed no invasion,” Rep. Jones stated, “we witnessed communities intertwined, people moving across the border for work, to visit family, to shop. […] The politics of division and xenophobic hatred is not about protecting American citizens, it’s about creating racist fears of migrants that feed the red meat of racism.”
During the House proceedings on HB2124, Rep. Michele Carringer (R-Knoxville-District 16) shared a more personal story of the negative impact of illegal immigration on Tennesseans.
“Knox County Sheriff’s Office recognizes and enforces 287-G, a program which allows arresting officers to detain law violators for ICE agents,” Rep. Carringer concluded. “House Bill 2124 […] will mimic 287-G, requiring law enforcement to hold flight risk criminals until the legal process can properly take its course.”
Finally, in closing, Rep. Grills acknowledged the number of illegal immigrants currently on the country’s National Terrorism Watch List.
“There’s 151 illegal migrants on the National Terrorism Watch List that have been countered by border protection agents last year,” he said. “We have a problem in this country, and they’re coming across the border.”
HB2124 ultimately passed on the House floor by a vote of 74-22.
Voting in favor of this legislation were Republican Representatives Alexander, Barrett, Baum, Boyd, Bricken, Bulso, Burkhart, Butler, Capley, Carr, Carringer, Cepicky, Cochran, Crawford, Darby, Doggett, Eldridge, Faison, Farmer, Fritts, Gant, Garrett, Gillespie, Grills, Hale, Haston, Hawk, Hazlewood, Helton-Haynes, Hicks G, Hicks T, Hill, Holsclaw, Howell, Hulsey, Hurt, Johnson C, Keisling, Kumar, Lafferty, Lamberth, Leatherwood, Littleton, Lynn, Marsh, Martin B, Martin G, McCalmon, Moody, Moon, Powers, Ragan, Raper, Reedy, Richey, Rudd, Rudder, Russell, Sherrell, Slater, Sparks, Stevens, Terry, Todd, Travis, Vaughan, Vital, Warner, White, Whitson, Wright, Zachary, and Speaker Sexton.
Democrat Representative Johnny Shaw (D-Bolivar-District 80) also voted in favor of HB2124.
Democrat Representatives Behn, Camper, Chism, Clemmons, Dixie, Freeman, Glynn, Hakeem, Hardaway, Harris, Hemmer, Jernigan, Johnson G, Jones, Love, McKenzie, Miller, Mitchell, Parkinson, Pearson, Thompson, and Towns all voted against this legislation.
The corresponding Senate bill, SB2576, has already passed through the Senate committee process and is awaiting a vote on the Senate floor.
About the Author: Adelia Kirchner is a Tennessee resident and reporter for the Tennessee Conservative. Currently the host of Subtle Rampage Podcast, she has also worked for the South Dakota State Legislature and interned for Senator Bill Hagerty’s Office in Nashville, Tennessee.
You can reach Adelia at adelia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
