Tennessee Legislation Seeks To Increase Penalties For Transportation Of Illegal Aliens Into The State (Update 2.26.24)
***Update 2.26.24 – HB2078 has been placed on the House Criminal Justice Subcommittee Calendar Subcommittee calendar for 2/27/24. To voice your support or opposition to this legislation, find the subcommittee member’s contact info HERE & reach out to them prior to their meeting.
Image Credit: U.S. Customs and Border Protection / Facebook
The Tennessee Conservative [By Rebecca Scott] –
Representative Bryan Richey (R-Maryville-District 20) has introduced a bill in the Tennessee House dealing with the transportation of illegal aliens into the state of Tennessee and applicable fines for doing so.
House Bill 2078 (HB2078) “As introduced, prohibits any person from transporting an illegal alien into this state; increases from $1,000 to $5,000 the fine for transporting illegal aliens. – Amends TCA Title 39 and Title 40.”
As HB2078 has been introduced, another bill – House Bill 1247 (HB1247) – dealing with the prohibition of housing illegal aliens on state-owned property, has been making its way through the House for the past year.
It is on the State Government Committee’s calendar for January 31, 2024.
Meanwhile, in the Senate, Frank Niceley (R-Strawberry Plains-District 08) has introduced a bill strikingly similar to Richey’s HB2078.
With more detail than Richey’s House bill, Senate Bill 2034 (SB2034) “increases, from $1,000 to $5,000, the fine for transporting into the state, for the purpose of commercial advantage or private financial gain, an individual who the person knows or should have known has illegally entered or remained in the United States, as determined by the bureau of immigration and customs enforcement of the United States department of homeland security. – Amends TCA Title 4; Title 12; Title 39; Title 50 and Title 67.”
With these bills moving through the legislature, it is clear that concerns regarding illegal aliens in the state of Tennessee are on the radars of many conservative lawmakers.
Rebecca Scott is a Tennessee resident and reporter for The Tennessee Conservative.
You can reach Rebecca at Rebecca@tennesseeconservativenews.com
Both bills deserve support. They will exercise Tennessee’ State Sovereignty by defending ourselves against the effects of the Biden enabled invasion of our country.
“Do you want to know who you are? Don’t ask.
ACT!!!
Action will delineate and define you.”
― Thomas Jefferson—
“increases, from $1,000 to $5,000, the fine for transporting into the state, for the purpose of commercial advantage or private financial gain,”
Another weak bill wth blah, blah escape hatch.
Fine, $10,000.
For each illegal.
Penalty, Felony charges for human trafficking
Applies to all transporters including NGOs, transportation companies, ie , busses, taxes, etc.
Alas the Tn legislature and our governor are exceptionally lacking in fortitude
The bill restates the law that was passed in 2007 and is already state law and just increases the fine. But the TN law as restated by the bill exempts “common carriers” which are the buses, planes, etc that actually bring the illegal aliens to TN and the law also lets any organization (like Catholic Charities that TN has given millions of dollars to) to have an excuse for bringing illegals to TN if it’s for religious purposes. So if Richey is going to really address the problem why not take out the exemptions and excuses for NGOs. And like most of the bills passed, the bill as written doesn’t even say how it will be enforced. But it does make Richey look like he’s trying to do something even if it really doesn’t do much of anything.
I agree with Molly, but add that the language should include the transportation through the state as well. It should also address the source of demand the chamber of commerce, developers, contractors, and gardening services.
Thomas
Yes
Does this INCLUDE the Federal Gov. Dropping Illegal’s off in the dead of Night????