GOP Bill Would Criminalize Illegal Immigrants Found In Tennessee Who Have A Final Deportation Order

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The Tennessee Conservative [By Paula Gomes] –

Two Republican lawmakers have introduced a bill that would criminalize any illegal immigrants found in Tennessee who have been given a final deportation order.

House Majority Leader William Lamberth (R-Portland-District 44) is the sponsor for House Bill 1704 (HB1704) which creates a Class A misdemeanor for anyone with a final deportation order who enters, or attempts to enter, the state or is found within Tennessee’s state lines.

Companion Senate Bill 1779 (SB1779) sponsored by Senator Jack Johnson (R-Franklin-District 27) passed on first consideration on Tuesday.

“Under President Donald Trump’s leadership, we have finally taken the necessary steps to preserve our borders and the rule of law,” Lamberth said in a social media post. “Tennessee is collaborating with the White House to make our state the nation’s leader in combating illegal immigration.

While this sounds like good news to Tennesseans who have decried the effects of illegal immigration on the state for years, this enthusiasm by GOP leadership to combat the issue is a recent development.

While The Tennessee Conservative has reported from our most humble beginnings about the state of our state when it comes to illegal immigration, the issue has been ignored by the Republican supermajority as they have largely failed to take action despite pleas from conservatives.

Taking to social media and the campaign trail, pledging promises to combat illegal immigration, the actions of Republican lawmakers in committees and in governance told a very different story. 

Time and again, legislation put forth by conservative Republicans in the hopes of curtailing the influx of illegal aliens into the Volunteer State, was quashed in committees and subcommittees. Not just by Democrats, but by Republicans.

We reported in 2022 that several bills were introduced that could have helped stem the tide of illegal immigration into the state but all were killed, or watered down to the point of uselessness.

Bills allowing local law enforcement to enforce immigration law, and to stop taxpayer funding of illegal aliens’ education, among others, failed in committees with the help of Republicans. 

In 2023, very few bills addressing illegal immigration were introduced as most legislators considered it to be a federal problem, outside of Tennessee’s purview.

The one bill that was introduced to ensure that illegal aliens could not vote in state elections was hijacked by the chairman of the House Finance, Ways and Means Subcommittee and taken off notice. 

Instead, bills were introduced to make the state a more agreeable place for illegal aliens but thanks to significant pushback from conservative Tennessee voters, these were withdrawn.

One such bill was sponsored by Lamberth, seeking to remove the requirement for military service and allow all permanent residents, including non-citizens, to apply for and be considered for positions in local law enforcement agencies throughout the state. Lamberth withdrew the bill from consideration after conservatives pushed back.

In 2024, The Tennessee Conservative organized the Protect Tennessee’s Borders Rally on the steps of the State Capitol where over 200 Conservative Tennesseans gathered to highlight the state GOP’s poor record on immigration.

Held in light of the circumstances outlined in our Illegal Immigration Timeline, which included conservative legislation killed by GOP lawmakers, The Tennessee Conservative’s founder Brandon Lewis called for action.

“If they can call a special session to give woke Ford Motor Company $2 billion for its failing electrical green new deal division, they can certainly stop illegal immigration with a special session,” stated Lewis.

It would take until the following year for Governor Bill Lee to call that session to pass an omnibus illegal immigration bill along with Lee’s pet project, the Education Freedom Act.

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