Immigrants without permanent legal status would no longer have the right to pursue most lawsuits in Tennessee courts under a bill introduced this month by Republican lawmakers.
House Bill 1037 and Senate Bill 791 by Rep. Johnny Garrett of Goodlettsville and Sen. Paul Bailey of Sparta would bar immigrants from suing local governments for negligence or seeking compensation for medical malpractice, pursuing product liability claims or accessing the state’s crime victims fund.
Legal experts said the bill appears to be in direct conflict with the 14th Amendment’s guarantee that “no state can deny equal protection of the law to any person within its jurisdiction.”
Neither Garrett nor Bailey responded Friday to questions about the measure, which has yet to be scheduled for review by a legislative committee.
(READ MORE: Chattanooga senator opposes immigration policy, says others are afraid to do so)