The names and addresses of officers involved in immigration enforcement will be confidential under a measure headed to the governor’s desk.
House Speaker Cameron Sexton, R-Crossville, filed the legislation last summer after the names of ICE agents were inadvertently made public on the city’s website. State and national Republicans have criticized Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell for decrying an immigration raid in the city’s immigrant corridor last May that resulted in hundreds of traffic stops.
Any local government official that releases identifying information could be ousted from office and charged with a Class E felony under HB 2506/SB 1464. The measure passed the House as Tennessee’s immigration enforcement operations have come under scrutiny.
Body camera footage made public by an ongoing lawsuit with the Tennessee immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition shows that pairs of Tennessee Highway Patrolman and ICE agents competed to make the most arrests, often keeping score by marking the people they detained with the number of their team.
Rep. Dan Howell, R-Cleveland, who co-sponsored the bill, said the change will protect law enforcement.
“We’ve seen what’s happened in Minnesota and some other states when these officers are simply doing what they’ve been hired to do, and that’s enforce federal immigration law,” Howell said.
Rep. Justin Jones, D-Nashville, opposed the change, arguing that law enforcement should be accountable and known to the public they serve.
“If you’re not involved in an undercover operation, if you are not investigating terrorism, and if you aren’t investigating gang violence, there’s no reason to conceal your identity from routine immigration work,” Jones said.
Jones attempted to amend the bill to apply only to officers undercover, but the move ultimately failed.
Rep. Tim Hicks, R-Gray, quickly called for a vote, cutting off House debate. The measure passed 70-19 along party lines Thursday.
The bill now heads to Gov. Bill Lee’s desk for his signature.
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