Tennessee Immigration Bills Dealing With Local, State Agencies & Law Enforcement To Be Heard In Committees

Image Credit: TN General Assembly & Canva

The Tennessee Conservative [By Paula Gomes] –

Two different immigration-related bills will be heard on Tuesday, February 17th, 2026 in a Tennessee House subcommittee while another will be heard in Senate Committee on the same day.

House Bill 1710 (HB1710) would require local government entities to run citizenship checks on applicants seeking state-funded benefits.

Sponsored by Representative Dennis Powers (R-Jacksboro-District 36), the legislation extends governmental entity mandates to include local governments in verifying that anyone 18 and up applying for federal, state, or local public health benefits have legal residency in the United States or citizenship.

Bill Introduced To Require More Citizenship Checks For Tennessee State Benefits Applicants

House Bill 1711 (HB1711) expands reporting requirements for law enforcement agencies, local governments, and the Tennessee Department of Finance.

Sponsored by Representative Elaine Davis (R-Knoxville-District 18), the legislation would mandate that law enforcement agencies communicate with local government agencies and submit quarterly reports to the state’s centralized immigration enforcement division, as well as federal officials.

New Tennessee Bill Would Increase State Reporting Requirements On Illegal Immigrants

In addition, the Department of Finance would be required to report the annual cost incurred by the state for educating the children of illegal aliens among other public benefits to the governor and speakers of the House and Senate on a yearly basis joining other state departments that must make similar reports.

Contact information for members of the House Departments & Agencies Subcommittee may be found below for your convenience.

Rep.rick.eldridge@capitol.tn.gov

Rep.michele.carringer@capitol.tn.gov

rep.jesse.chism@capitol.tn.gov

Rep.jesse.chism@capitol.tn.gov

Rep.john.crawford@capitol.tn.gov

Rep.michael.lankford@capitol.tn.gov

Rep.greg.martin@capitol.tn.gov

Rep.larry.miller@capitol.tn.gov

Rep.dennis.powers@capitol.tn.gov

Rep.rick.eldridge@capitol.tn.gov; rep.michele.carringer@capitol.tn.gov; rep.jesse.chism@capitol.tn.gov; rep.john.crawford@capitol.tn.gov; Rep.michael.lankford@capitol.tn.gov; rep.greg.martin@capitol.tn.gov; rep.larry.miller@capitol.tn.gov; rep.dennis.powers@capitol.tn.gov

Senate Bill 1486 (SB1486) requires that state law enforcement agencies hold onto illegal immigrants longer so that federal immigration authorities can take custody.

Tennessee law already requires that law enforcement agencies “communicate with the appropriate federal official regarding the immigration status of any individual, including reporting knowledge that a particular alien is not lawfully present in the United States” and asks that law enforcement cooperate with federal officials in identifying, apprehending, detaining, or removing those not lawfully present in the U.S.

While officers are already required to be trained concerning their role in enforcing federal immigration laws, the proposed legislation mandates that law enforcement “accept and honor” federal immigration detainers, meaning that they comply with the requested conditions in the immigration detainer.

Memphis Senator Introduces Bill To Require Law Enforcement Agencies To Hold Onto Illegal Immigrants Longer Allowing Feds To Take Custody

Sponsored by Senator Brent Taylor (R-Memphis-District 31), the bill Includes a new subdivision requiring that law enforcement agencies and officers maintain “custody of the subject of an immigration detainer for 48 hours, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, beyond the time when the subject would have otherwise been released from the law enforcement agency’s custody to allow federal immigration authorities to take custody of the subject and notifying federal immigration authorities as soon as possible prior to releasing the subject of the immigration detainer.”

Contact information for members of the Senate Judiciary Committee may be found below for your convenience.

Sen.todd.gardenhire@capitol.tn.gov

Sen.kerry.roberts@capitol.tn.gov

Sen.paul.rose@capitol.tn.gov

Sen.bobby.harshbarger@capitol.tn.gov

Sen.sara.kyle@capitol.tn.gov

Sen.london.lamar@capitol.tn.gov

Sen.john.stevens@capitol.tn.gov

Sen.brent.taylor@capitol.tn.gov

Sen.dawn.white@capitol.tn.gov

Sen.todd.gardenhire@capitol.tn.gov; Sen.kerry.roberts@capitol.tn.gov; Sen.paul.rose@capitol.tn.gov; Sen.bobby.harshbarger@capitol.tn.gov; Sen.sara.kyle@capitol.tn.gov; Sen.london.lamar@capitol.tn.gov; Sen.john.stevens@capitol.tn.gov; Sen.brent.taylor@capitol.tn.gov; Sen.dawn.white@capitol.tn.gov

About the Author: Paula Gomes is a Tennessee resident and reporter for The Tennessee Conservative. You can reach Paula at paula@tennesseeconservativenews.com.