Todd GardenhireNASHVILLE - The state Senate today approved legislation by Sen. Todd Gardenhire to grant in-state tuition rates to U.S.-born children of illegal immigrants provided they've lived at least a year in Tennessee and graduated from a high school here.
The bill passed 20-9. The House version has been scheduled for floor action in coming days.
Gardenhire, R-Chattanooga, fended off repeated attacks on his bill from Sen. Stacey Campfield, R-Knoxville, who argued that despite having been born in the U.S. themselves, children of illegal immigrants are not American citizens under the U.S. Constitution's 14th Amendment.
"You're logic is difficult to follow Sen. Campfield," Gardenhire said.