Nashville, TN - The Tennessee House of Representatives passed a bill with a 74-22 vote, requiring local law enforcement agencies to report undocumented immigrants to federal authorities. Spearheaded by the Republican-led House, the proposal aims to enhance cooperation between state and federal authorities in identifying, apprehending, detaining, and deporting individuals unlawfully present in the country.

 

The House's action aligns with similar initiatives in Republican-led states, seeking to increase state and local involvement in immigration enforcement. The bill's advancement to the GOP-led Senate floor indicates ongoing momentum in bolstering immigration enforcement measures within Tennessee.

 

Under the proposed legislation, law enforcement agencies and officials are mandated to cooperate with federal immigration authorities, contrasting with previous language authorizing such cooperation. This revision builds upon a 2018 amendment to Tennessee's immigration law, signaling a stricter stance on immigration enforcement.

 

Representative Rusty Grills, a prominent advocate for the bill, emphasized the urgency of addressing border security concerns. Citing recent tragedies such as the deaths of a nursing student in Georgia and a two-year-old in Maryland, as well as significant drug seizures, Grills underscored the necessity for local law enforcement to collaborate closely with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in combating illegal immigration.