Federal power only goes so far. State governors and legislatures have wide authority over local law enforcement, schools, health and how cities and counties handle immigration.
How TN Republicans could overturn a landmark SCOTUS immigration case
Tennessee schools would be able to refuse undocumented students, under a new proposal from Republican leaders in the statehouse. The measure goes against U.S. Supreme Court precedent by design.
Your Turn to Talk: New Americans in New Nashville
Immigrants and refugees contribute greatly to Middle Tennessee. They add cultural diversity, shape the local economy and cultivate strong community.
The GOP is making false claims about noncitizens voting. It’s affecting real voters.
As the election nears, false rhetoric about noncitizen voting is having a real impact as some GOP officials are scrutinizing voter rolls and questioning some voters’ registrations.
Tennessee won’t purge voter rolls of people who disregard a letter asking them to prove citizenship
Tennessee elections officials say any state registered voters among the thousands recently asked to prove their citizenship can stay on the voting rolls even if they don’t respond to the request.
The federal government is changing how visas for college-educated immigrants work
A change to the H-1B visa application process for college-educated immigrants could make the system more fair, according to a Nashville immigration lawyer.
‘The work is not done’: A local immigrant advocacy group says it’s pushing for more permanent solutions after TPS extensions
On June 13, the U.S. government announced the extension of the temporary legal status of more than 300,000 immigrants, whose deportation protections and work permits were targeted by the Trump administration.
A new Tennessee law blocks some immigrants from buying property
A new law aims to prevent foreign governments from buying agricultural land in Tennessee. But it has a wide scope that could affect certain people and not just their countries.
How Nashville’s wild housing market is causing a ‘second displacement’ for some immigrants
As Nashville wrestles with a lack of affordable housing, many families have found themselves moving outside of the city for options. This affordability crisis also affects immigrants, pushing them farther away from the services and community they rely on.
‘We Don’t Look Back, We Look Forward’: A Syrian Family Rebuilds Their Life In Murfreesboro
This year marks a decade since the start of the Syrian civil war that has caused more than 6.5 million people to seek refuge around the world, including Kinan Alrifai and her family in Middle Tennessee. The John Overton High School science teacher spoke with WPLN News about the challenges and triumphs of rebuilding their lives here.
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