Image Credit: TN General Assembly
The Tennessee Conservative [By Olivia Lupia] –
On Tuesday, the House State & Local Government Committee advanced three immigration-related bills aiming to increase immigration enforcement, expand reporting requirements on the impact of illegal immigration in the state, and require legal status checks for public benefits.
HB2219– Mandates all Tennessee Sheriffs participate in federal 287(g) immigration program
Sponsored by Rep. Johnny Garrett, HB2219 stipulates that sheriffs must participate in the 287(g) program under one of its three models and provides a statewide procedure for handling detainees awaiting transfer to federal custody.
Sheriff’s departments could choose between the 287(g) program’s Jail Enforcement Model, Warrant Service Officer Model, or Task Force Model which allows certified officers to identify and process removable aliens, place immigration detainers and initiate removal proceedings, and ensure transfer to ICE depending on which model the department enters.
Agencies that do not enter into the agreement could have state funds withheld. The bill would not apply to constables as they are separately authorized officers under Tennessee law, and participation by municipal police departments remains optional.
Questioning from Democrats devolved into yelling during the committee meeting when the question on the bill was called, ending the debate, with Democrat members screaming at Rep. Garrett and other Republicans and resulting in several audience members being removed for also engaging in the outbursts.
Ultimately, the committee passed the bill 17-6 along party lines, sending it to the Finance, Ways, and Means Committee.
The Senate Companion, SB2223, passed the Senate State & Local Government Committee last week, and now awaits a date before the Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee.
HB1711– Increases reporting requirement on illegal immigrants
As amended, the legislation requires the number of illegal aliens to be reported by various public entities including school districts, institutions of higher education, prisons, healthcare providers, and social services unless doing so conflicts with federal laws such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA).
It further mandates annual reports on the actual costs incurred by the state for educating the children illegal aliens and other public benefits received like healthcare, law enforcement and, other costs to taxpayers by illegal aliens, though the newest amendment excludes the requirement of agencies or providers to report any identifying information like names, instead seeking just a numerical tally.
“The purpose and intent of this bill is for us to determine what the costs are in education, in healthcare, in social services. Right now, no data is being collected, so therefore we do not know what those costs are. We have a fiduciary responsibility to know and ensure that we’re spending our dollars wisely and how those dollars are being spent. Right now, we don’t know, it’s just estimates, and it’s important to understand,” bill sponsor Elaine Davis said in response to Democrat questions about the intentions of the bill.
She continued, “We have unaccompanied minors in DCS care, but we don’t know what those costs are to our state agencies. With regard to individuals that are committing crimes that are in our jails and across our state, you can’t put a cost attached to someone that has been killed by an illegal drunk driver, but we can determine the cost of incarceration.”
Additional Democrat objections to the bill were not enough to sway any Republican members of the committee as the vote was 17-6 along party lines in favor of sending the bill to the House Finance, Ways, and Means Committee.
SB2108, the Senate Companion, will likely be heard in the Senate State & Local Government Committee next week.
HB1710– Requires citizenship checks for state benefits
This bill would require all state and local governments and county health departments to verify the citizenship or legal residency in the U.S. of anyone who is 18 years or older applying for taxpayer-funded federal, state, or local public benefits.
If applicants do not present appropriate documentation to prove citizenship, they must be reported to the state’s Centralized Immigration Enforcement Division, and local agencies that fail to comply could be subject to investigation by the Attorney General and potentially funding cuts.
Additionally, public employees who do not comply with the requirements could be charged with a Class A misdemeanor.
“Currently, taxpayer-funded benefits are not consistently limited to lawful residents, and uneven enforcement allows some local governments to avoid accountability. These gaps undermine public trust and responsible use of taxpayer dollars,” said bill sponsor Rep. Dennis Powers during the committee meeting.
A citizen testified against the bill, claiming it unjustly targets and discriminates against immigrants, and Democrats echoed those sentiments with their following comments before the question was called, moving the body to a vote.
The vote was 17-6 along party lines in favor of the bill which now moves to the Finance, Ways, and Means Committee.
Senate companion bill SB1915 has already passed the Senate, so the bill just has to finish making its way through the House to become law.
About the Author: Olivia Lupia is a political refugee from Colorado who now calls Tennessee home. A proud follower of Christ, she views all political happenings through a Biblical lens and aims to utilize her knowledge and experience to educate and equip others. Olivia is an outspoken conservative who has run for local office, managed campaigns, and been highly involved with state & local GOPs, state legislatures, and other grassroots organizations and movements. Olivia can be reached at olivia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
