Tennessee lawmakers are advancing legislation that would require schools to verify students' immigration status and could allow school districts to deny access to education for children without legal status.
The bill, which has received criticism from education advocates, immigrant rights organizations, and some legislators, is widely seen as an attempt to challenge federal protections for undocumented students.
The legislation, co-sponsored by Republican Sen. Bo Watson, would mandate immigration checks at the state's public and charter schools, as Tennessee Lookout reports. Districts could then opt to either admit or deny these students or charge tuition based on the state's per-student funding model.
Watson has argued that the bill addresses the financial burden of English-language learning (ELL) programs:
"The proposition is that we continue to increase exponentially the funding we are providing for ELL education, and I have long felt we need to have a conversation imposed upon the citizens in funding ELL"
Watson added that "while ELL incorporates both documented and undocumented students, it is difficult or impossible to tease out the difference between the two, and I use ELL funding as at least a correlation of what may be occurring within the undocumented community."
Democratic Sen. Jeff Yarbro criticized the initiative, warning it would lead to long-term social and economic consequences. "What's the long-term cost of having a group of people who are, at the state's direction, illiterate and just creating a long-term underclass in society?" he said. Yarbro also noted that schools are not equipped to assess immigration status and that implementing such a system would be costly.
The bill passed the Senate Finance Committee in a 7-4 vote, with two Republicans opposing. The House version, which does not mandate but permits schools to conduct immigration checks, is still under consideration.
If passed, Tennessee would be the only state actively pursuing such a policy, with other states like Texas and Indiana merely debating similar measures.
Critics argue the legislation is designed to overturn *Plyler v. Doe*, the 1982 Supreme Court decision ensuring undocumented children the right to public education. The bill could also put Tennessee in violation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, potentially jeopardizing over $1 billion in federal education funding, as local NPR affiliate WKMS reports.
Another measure advancing in Tennessee seeks to criminalize the presence of undocumented individuals in the state. The bill, introduced by Republican Rep. Lee Reeves, would impose jail time and require eviction from Tennessee for those found in violation. While the first offense would be a misdemeanor, repeat violations could escalate to felonies.
Another proposal, House Bill 811, would allow crime victims to sue charities that provided housing to undocumented immigrants, making organizations financially liable. This effort aligns with a broader trend of state-level policies seeking to deter unauthorized immigration through legal and financial penalties.
© 2025 Latin Times. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
