A bill making it a crime to harbor or hide individuals without lawful immigration status cleared a Tennessee house subcommittee
Opponents criticized it as a dangerous precedent that could criminalize family members in mixed immigration households and nonprofits or faith-based organizations performing acts of charity.
House bill 322 and senate bill 392 by Rep. Chris Todd, R-Madison County, and Sen. Brent Taylor, R-Memphis, would create a class A misdemeanor to “harbor or hide” someone unlawfully present in the United States, with a $1,000 penalty and up to a year in jail attached to each individual harbored or shielded.
The proposed legislation would also create a new “human smuggling” felony offense, punishable by up to six years in prison and a $3,000 fine for anyone who “encourages or induces” an individual “to remain in this state in violation of federal law.”
If the individual being encouraged or induced to remain in Tennessee is under 13 years old, the crime rises to a class A felony, punishable by up to 60 years in prison and a fine of up to $50,000.