Tennessee’s special legislative committee studying the presence and movement of unaccompanied migrant children is requesting testimony from representatives of the organization housing migrant children in Chattanooga and the Highland Park church that leased the building to be used as a shelter.
In their first meeting, members of the Study Committee on Refugee Issues discussed the scope of the investigation and criticized the Biden administration for undoing Trump-era immigration policies and not providing more transparency about the movement of migrants.
Members suggested individuals or organizations they want to invite to testify on the issue, including among others the Baptiste Group, which operates the migrant shelter in Chattanooga through a federal contract; Redemption to the Nations Church, the Highland Park house of worship that leased the building being used as a shelter; and the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services, which first licensed the facility in May 2020.
Todd Gardenhire, R-Chattanooga, said he would invite the organizations in his region but cautioned against jumping to conclusions.
“I’ll be glad to invite the Baptiste Group, but if I was them I wouldn’t want to come here to this committee because of the already preconceived ideas,” Gardenhire said.