Tennessee Rep. talks bill that aims to create state immigration agency
JACKSON, Tenn. — State Representative Chris Todd of Jackson was appointed chair of the House’s Immigration Committee by House Speaker Cameron Sexton.
Along with this committee, a new bill is being considered to potentially create a new state immigration agency to work with the federal government.
“What we’re really dealing with is the bill before our committee involves a process for training and equipping our local law enforcements to assist in whatever operations the federal government works on in the next year or two or three,” said Rep. Todd.
Gov. Bill Lee has proposed creating a temporary Centralized Immigration Enforcement Division within the Tennessee Department of Safety. State leaders say this would create efficient resource allocation and effective enforcement of immigration laws, in addition to other measures to improve public safety in the Volunteer State.
“It’s going to equip them with the knowledge and the tools to be able to help immigration customs enforcement do their job and get folks into this country the right way,” said Rep. Todd.
Rep. Todd shares that they have worked to change all state identification because of concerns of voting in recent elections.
“Combines a number of temporary ID’s and drivers licenses into something that is going to be — once they issue the new ones, they will be temporary and they will be very clearly identifiable that these holders are non-citizens. Because we have a number of people here that are perfectly legal through some means,” said Rep. Todd.
He shares that this bill will potentially affect those who do not have legal documentation.
“Certainly we know that not all illegal immigrants are criminals. Many of them are great people and folks that we might like to have here are our neighbors we just want them to go through the right process,” said Rep. Todd.
We had WBBJ 7 Eyewitness News tipsters share with us details of an alleged raid at a Jackson hotel. Rep. Todd says he is unaware if this happened, also he doesn’t have enough information to know if targeted enforcement actions would happen at schools.
“I would think so. I haven’t heard any direct plan for coordinating that. I just have my doubts that anybody is going to be coming into schools and pulling children out. Unless their parents are there and they’re asking for that or authorizing that,” said Rep. Todd.
The senate version of the bill passed late Wednesday afternoon. The house version of the bill will be voted on Thursday morning. If approved, it goes to Governor Lee to sign into law.
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