Last June the TN legislature formed a committee to study illegal immigration in the state. They concluded their investigation but have not issued the final report.(1)
Committee member Senator Richard Briggs of Knoxville admits Tennessee has illegal immigrants, but says, “It is primarily a federally created problem.” He says Congress needs to take action. Congress is not acting. Why isn’t Tennessee?
Tennessee can not depend on Congress to protect its citizens from federally-permitted illegal activity. Read the TN Constitution. (2) It is the job of the state legislators to make laws to protect the citizens of Tennessee.
Sen. Briggs admits that Tennessee has an illegal immigration problem. But he says we are “not in crisis.” Really? Is crisis needed before any action is taken?
The federal government has zero transparency and is unwilling to communicate on any level with Tennessee. The feds have created an illegal problem, and our legislators’ job is to stop it at the border of Tennessee.
The issue is not about immigrants. It’s about illegal immigrants. And by doing nothing, TN is participating in illegal activity. At the very least, start with laws to penalize business contracts with companies that transport illegals, as Florida’s Gov. DeSantis has done. Or, as Florida is also doing, budget $8 million to bus illegal immigrants to Biden’s Delaware. (3)
Your voice does matter. Call or write Sen. Ken Yager and Rep. Kelly Kiesling to make sure committee members submit bills to penalize illegal immigration activity.
(1) https://tennesseeconservativenews.com/tennessee-senators-fear-little-can-be-done-to-curb-illegal-immigration-within-state/
(2) https://www.capitol.tn.gov/about/docs/TN-Constitution.pdf
ADDENDUM: Report Issued https://tennesseeconservativenews.com/joint-study-committee-on-refugee-issues-releases-final-review-and-recommendations/
Appeared in January 12, 2022 Fentress Times