Legislative Recap: Putting Tennesseans First & Protecting Taxpayers

As the daughter of a legal immigrant, I know firsthand the sacrifices families make to come to America the right way. My family followed the law, waited their turn, and earned their place in this great nation. That's why it deeply troubles me when we reward those who skip the line and break our immigration laws.

I'm proud to report that Tennessee Republicans have passed the strongest illegal immigration legislation in the nation during the 114th General Assembly. We're sending a clear message: Tennessee will always welcome those who come here legally, but we refuse to be a magnet for illegal immigration.

Here's what we accomplished:

• Created the Centralized Immigration Enforcement Division - We established a new division within the Tennessee Department of Safety to coordinate with federal and local governments. This ensures every level of law enforcement works together to enforce our immigration laws. We also created the Immigration Enforcement Grant Program to help local law enforcement agencies do their jobs effectively.

• Enhanced Criminal Penalties - We passed legislation allowing judges to sentence illegal immigrants to life without parole if convicted of violent crimes or offenses involving deadly weapons. We also created new felony offenses for smuggling and trafficking illegal immigrants. These aren't just symbolic gestures - they have real teeth.

• Strengthened Our Sanctuary City Ban - While the legislature banned sanctuary cities back in 2018, we made it even stronger by imposing Class E felony charges on local officials who adopt or maintain sanctuary city policies in violation of state law. Local officials who try to shield criminals from federal immigration authorities will face serious consequences.

• Protected Our Elections - We ensured clear distinction between citizens and non-citizens IDs, ensuring only individuals with permanent IDs are eligible to vote in Tennessee elections. We also invalidated out-of-state driver's licenses issued to illegal immigrants.

  
  

The Numbers Tell the Story:

• Illegal immigration cost Tennessee taxpayers $971 million in 2023 alone.

• That's an average of $4,456 per illegal immigrant that hardworking Tennesseans had to shoulder.

• From October to December 2024, we had 2,719 reports of illegal immigrants charged with crimes in Tennessee.

• This included 11 homicides in just three months.

• Between 2021-2024, 17,713 unaccompanied alien children were released to sponsors in Tennessee.

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Resources should be available only to legal residents, and we must ensure fair opportunities for those who follow the legal immigration process. That's not anti-immigrant - that's pro-legal immigration and pro-taxpayer. We’ve made historic progress this session, but we can always do more. As your representative, I’m committed to continuing this work to uphold the rule of law, protect Tennessee families, and ensure our resources are reserved for those who respect our laws. Thank you for standing with me in this effort.

For Faith, Family, Freedom,

Michele Reneau

TN State Representative

District 27, Hamilton County