Image Credit: equalchanceforeducation.org
The Tennessee Conservative Staff –
Protestors marched on the state Capitol on Thursday night to urge Governor Bill Lee not to sign newly passed legislation that will require local law enforcement agencies to report illegal immigrants in their custody to the federal government. At the same time in Nashville, a non-profit hosted an event presenting their plans to help “undocumented immigrants” to attend college by providing over $2 million in scholarships annually.
The protestors are in opposition to newly passed legislation that will require local law enforcement agencies to report illegal immigrants in their custody to the federal government and their protest reportedly was meant to urge Governor Lee to veto the bill.
According to the House bill sponsor, Senate Brent Taylor (R-Memphis-District 31), House Bill 2124/Senate Bill 2576 (HB2124/SB2576), the legislation is clearly focused on illegal immigrants who have been taken into custody for committing another crime.
“The way this will be enforced is when someone who has, in addition to being in the country illegally, has committed yet another crime and they are detained by law enforcement,” Sen. Taylor explained, “and if they are here illegally that is to be reported to the appropriate federal officials.”
There is already a law on the books that authorizes law enforcement agencies to report this information to the federal government. The new law will change that authorization into a requirement, adding consistency to the process because currently there are some agencies who make these reports but others who opt not to.
At the same time as the protest, non-profit Equal Chance for Education hosted an event presenting their plans for helping “undocumented immigrants” to attend college by providing over $2 million in scholarships annually.
Tennessee is currently not among the 18 states that have legislation that allows illegal immigrants to receive in-state tuition and financial aid.
The Equal Chance program provides up to $25,000 to a student who is able to attend one of 15 participating Tennessee colleges. The University of Tennessee family of schools are not on the list of available options, although UT Knoxville President Randy Boyd was a panel member.
Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell stated at the event that “they’re worthy of investment. It’s an investment in all of us.”
According to the panel, there are currently about 8,000 “dreamers” in the state, but only 333 are enrolled in the scholarship program.
Meanwhile, sources show that native Tennessee residents continue to struggle with affording college, even with the state’s Tennessee Promise, a program that covers tuition at state community colleges, and Hope Scholarship.
