Senator Joey Hensley, MD

The 113th General Assembly has adjourned for 2024, and it was a very successful year. We have taken measures for Tennessee to be a better place to live, work and to raise a family.

New Tennessee laws combat illegal immigration in state

I am proud to consistently support and pass legislation to crack down on illegal immigration and protect our communities. While immigration is largely a federal issue, for decades the federal government has failed to uphold their end of the bargain. With record numbers of illegal immigrants pouring into our country as a result of failure from the federal government, every state has become a border state.

That’s why in Tennessee, we have fought for years to push back against the federal government locating illegal immigrants here, while also doing what we can to help secure the border. We’ve banned sanctuary cities in Tennessee and worked to keep illegal immigrants from taking advantage of Tennessee taxpayers. And this year was no different. In the 2024 legislative session, we passed several bills to build on our efforts to crack down on illegal immigration in our state.

This year, we strengthened the state’s sanctuary city ban, which was first passed in 2018 to ensure that no local government can shield illegal aliens from state and federal immigration laws. A bill passed this year, enhances this law by requiring all law enforcement in Tennessee to notify the appropriate federal authorities if an individual they come in contact with is found to be in the country illegally. Under previous state law, notification was authorized but not required.

Not only is illegal immigration a federal crime, but it also puts a significant strain on taxpayers by increasing expenses on state and local governments. This year, I also supported two bills which strengthen the state’s standing to sue the federal government over the costs of illegal immigrants to Tennessee taxpayers. The legislation requires reports to be generated detailing the costs incurred by the state from illegal immigrants who commit crimes in Tennessee.

These bills will help us learn the cost and impact the immigration crisis is having on our state, so we can take steps to fix the issues and protect Tennessee communities.

One of the measures, Senate Bill 757, requires local law enforcement agencies to verify a detainee’s citizenship. If the detained person is found to be not lawfully present in the United States, then the jail must report that illegal immigrant to the District Attorneys General Conference (DAGC). This legislation became law July 1, 2024.

The other bill, Senate Bill 2158, requires the DAGC to collect and compile data on the cost to Tennessee taxpayers from illegal immigrants in state custody for criminal offenses. It also requires the DAGC to collect data from law enforcement agencies on the number of persons not lawfully present in the United States. The report will be submitted to the Governor and both speakers of the General Assembly.

I was glad to support a new law this year which increases punishment for illegal immigrants who commit violent crimes. It allows a judge to sentence an illegal immigrant to life without parole if convicted of a violent crime or if a deadly weapon was involved in the offense. It also authorizes the same enhancement for adults convicted of a violent crime on school property. The arrest of an illegal immigrant and all subsequent convictions must be reported to the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security. The data will be used to help understand the impact of illegal immigration on Tennessee.

This is among our latest efforts in the General Assembly to crack down on illegal immigration. But our work is far from finished. My colleagues and I will continue to do what we can on the state level and partner with border states like Texas to protect Tennessee from the influx of illegal immigrants flowing in from the southern border.

You May Contact

Senator Hensley at

425 Rep. John Lewis Way N., Suite 742

Nashville TN 37243

615-741-3100

Toll Free 1-800-449-8366 ext. 13100

Fax 615-253-0231

855 Summertown Highway

Hohenwald TN 38462

Phone 931-796-2018

Cell Phone 931-212-8823

E-mail: [email protected]