A bill creating a new state crime for immigrants illegally present in Tennessee — punishable by incarceration followed by a 72-hour notice to vacate the state — has been deferred until 2026.
The move to table the controversial measure Wednesday in the Senate State and Local Government Committee came at the request of its chairman.
Sen. Richard Briggs, a Knoxville Republican, cited his neighbor from Canada, an engineer who is at risk of being unable to renew her visa before it expires due to bureaucratic delays resulting from actions taken by the Department of Government Efficiency. Briggs said he was concerned the law could sweep up immigrants like her.
(READ MORE: Bill aimed at students without legal immigration status advances in Tennessee Senate)
The bill’s sponsor, Republican Sen. Jack Johnson of Franklin, acknowledged the measure runs afoul of established law and a 2012 Supreme Court decision that said states cannot usurp the federal government’s exclusive power to enact immigration enforcement laws. Rep. Lee Reeves, a Franklin Republican, cosponsored the bill, but noted the bill would take effect only in certain circumstances.