Tennessee House bill seeks to gather information on immigrant children

Staff Photo by Matt Hamilton / Rep. Dan Howell speaks at Westwood Baptist Church in Cleveland, Tenn., on Thursday, Oct. 14, 2021.
Staff Photo by Matt Hamilton / Rep. Dan Howell speaks at Westwood Baptist Church in Cleveland, Tenn., on Thursday, Oct. 14, 2021.

A bill seeking to gather identifying information on unaccompanied migrant children was placed on the state budget for review, despite reservations from legislators as to who would have access to the information.

On Tuesday, Rep. Dan Howell, R-Cleveland, introduced to the House Finance, Ways and Means Subcommittee a bill to require organizations housing migrant children to collect identifying information, such as where they came from, in a database to be reported to the Department of Children's Services and to limit the number of children that can be housed.

Migrant children were approved for shelter in Chattanooga under a federal contract initiated by the administration of former President Donald Trump. Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee's administration licensed the facility in 2020 and renewed and expanded that license in 2021 before WRCB reports about children traveling to the facility at night caused an uproar and a backlash. Legislators formed a committee to discuss how the federal government's immigration program operated in Tennessee. Committee members recommended suspending all license holders involved in the placement of migrant children due to concerns that they could be used for sex-trafficking purposes.

(READ MORE: Immigration experts say Tennessee officials are misguided in criticizing unaccompanied migrant children program)

These recommendations came after reports that abuse occurred in the Chattanooga facility. State, federal and local law enforcement officers investigated the reports after the Tennessee Department of Children's Services spoke to several children during an unannounced visit. One of the children disclosed that he had witnessed staff members abusing another child.

The facility, operated by the nonprofit Baptiste Group and licensed by the state Department of Children's Services, has since had its license revoked and appealed the decision.

House Bill 2711 seeks to provide safeguards for children transported across state lines by agencies, defined as nontraditional child care agencies, by requiring reports within 72 hours on each child to the Department of Children's Services and requiring agencies to inform the department at least 10 days prior of the child's arrival.

(READ MORE: Group that housed unaccompanied migrant children in Chattanooga seeks to renew license)

"And when I say children, I wanted to make you aware that our hearings discovered that we're calling these children, they're really young adults," said Howell, referring to children aged 12 to 17.

Legislators questioned the legality of who would have access to information belonging to underage children and to what extent could the state acquire information that the federal government did not release.

"Some information is protected for a reason," said Rep. Karen Camper, D-Memphis. "Maybe their family was fleeing for some reason that the federal government is trying to protect the information."

"Obviously, these kids are probably in a very traumatic situation, and they don't know what's happening to them," said Rep. Ron Gant, R-Piperton.

(READ MORE: Chattanooga-area lawmakers differ in enthusiasm for refugee panel)

Howell responded that the information will not be made public and that information belonging to underage children is protected to some degree, but bill amendments allow information provided by nontraditional child care agencies to be accessed by law enforcement and other appropriate entities, including the attorney general in cases of alleged abuse.

Rep. Chris Todd, R-Jackson, said the state is limited in the information it has access to until "we have an administration change that is actually willing to enforce immigration law and protect our borders."

Howell expects state expenditures to come to $874,400 for the fiscal year of 2022-2023, and the bill was scheduled for consideration after the state budget is considered.

Read more at TennesseeLookout.com.

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