State Republican leaders announced a series of bills on Thursday designed to target illegal immigration, including one that would require a verification of whether K-12 students have lawful immigration status.¶
A press release sent to the Tennessee Firefly referenced the proposal as a mechanism to ensure “transparency, protect classroom resources, and support long-term planning.” ¶
At a press conference on Thursday with other Republican leaders, House Speaker Cameron Sexton, R-Crossville, said bill sponsors are still waiting for guidance from the U.S. Department of Education before they can provide more detailed information on how the immigration verification process would work and its impact on funding. Leaders additionally haven’t ruled out turning over immigration information about a student or their parents to authorities, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).¶
“We’re still working through the issues of what that would look like based on what that letter will be. As far as collecting the data and that sort of stuff, we will send it to the Department of Education, or somewhere, we’ll work out that detail as well,” said Sexton. “At the end of the day, taxpayers’ money should go to those who are here legally and lawfully. Period.”¶
Sexton said the student verification bill will be one of 8 to 9 bills targeting illegal immigration, including legislation requiring state and local governments to verify lawful status before issuing taxpayer-funded benefits.¶
Republican lawmakers also have an existing bill that passed the Senate last year, and is awaiting approval in the House, that would allow school districts the ability to charge undocumented students tuition.¶
Legislation Faces Opposition from Democrats and Religious Leaders¶
Tennessee Democrats issued a statement calling the series of immigration bills a “chaos agenda, “ while the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition held a press conference with religious leaders to oppose it.¶
Vine Street Christian Church Pastor Rev. Wesley King took part and said he was “appalled” at the effort to require a verification of students’ immigration status.¶
“Targeting children, anybody’s kids, because of their parents’ decisions, is everything against what Christ has taught us about welcoming the stranger and loving those who are not like us,” said King.¶
