TN Republicans unveil immigration bills, requiring legal status for benefits, valid driver’s licenses, professional licenses and more

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) – Tennessee Republican lawmakers have unveiled their “Immigration 2026″ legislative agenda for the current session on Thursday.

The Republican leadership introduced immigration legislation that they say will “close enforcement gaps, protect Tennessee taxpayers, and require active enforcement of immigration laws across the state – no exceptions.”

The GOP added that their proposals will fortify verification requirements, mandate cooperation with federal authorities and ensure taxpayer-funded benefits and jobs are reserved for lawful residents.

The legislation is meant to “close enforcement gaps, protect Tennessee taxpayers, and require active enforcement of immigration laws across the state.”

Below is a look at some of the legislation the GOP unveiled for 2026 and what the lawmakers say it would do:

Verify Lawful Status for Public Benefits

• Requires state and local governments to verify lawful status before issuing taxpayer-funded benefits.
• Mandates referrals to ICE and Tennessee’s centralized immigration enforcement division when status cannot be verified.
• Empowers the AG to withhold shared sales tax revenue from non-compliant municipalities.

Mandatory E-Verify for Government Jobs

• Makes E-Verify mandatory for all new state and local government hires.
• Ends taxpayer-funded employment of illegal labor.
• Aligns public hiring standards with those already required in the private sector.

Professional Licensing Safeguards

• Requires proof of lawful status for licensed professions, including teachers, nurses, contractors and other regulated occupations.
• Establishes uniform standards across professions.

Driver’s License and CDL Reforms

• Requires verification of lawful status before issuance of driver’s licenses or vehicle registrations.
• All driver’s license exams are conducted in English, with a one-time limited exception and restricted license requirements.
• CDL applicants must be able to recognize traffic signs in English, regardless of exam format.

Real-Time Reporting and Transparency

• Quarterly reports from state agencies on unverifiable immigration status encounters.
• Monthly reporting on non-citizens receiving public benefits, coordinated with DHS.
• Annual, comprehensive report detailing the total cost of illegal immigration to Tennessee taxpayers, including schools, hospitals, prisons, and social services.

K-12 Enrollment Verification

• Verifies lawful status for K-12 students to ensure transparency, protect classroom resources, and support long-term planning.

Mandatory Court and Law Enforcement Cooperation

• Requires courts and local law enforcement to cooperate with ICE and enhance 287(g) agreements.
• Establishes clear penalties for jurisdictions that obstruct enforcement or ignore state law.

Illegal Entry and Re-Entry as a State Crime

• Makes illegal entry and re-entry a state criminal offense.
• Requires fingerprinting and DNA collection for offenders in custody.

The GOP also said that if any local government or agency violates state law or refuses to cooperate will “face consequences, including loss of shared sales tax revenue. This legislation ensures enforcement is uniform statewide – no exceptions.”

Previous: Tennessee’s 2026 legislative session begins. Here’s what to expect

Latest — Data: More than 50 Tennessee agencies partnering with ICE in 2026

During a January 2025 special session, lawmakers passed three bills that were focal points for the governor, which included an enhanced focus on the enforcement of President Donald Trump’s immigration laws.

Immigration 2025 Special Session:

• Immigration enforcement: The law provides incentives for promoting the enforcement of federal immigration and criminal penalties/removal of officials who adopt sanctuary policies and create a centralized immigration enforcement division within the Department of Safety. That division, the Centralized Immigration Enforcement Division, ensures efficient resource allocation and effective enforcement of immigration laws, according to Gov. Lee’s office.
• Human smuggling/harboring: Criminalizes the harboring of undocumented immigrants.

Related: TN lawmaker to introduce bill creating safe spaces from ICE following agent-involved shooting in Minneapolis

“We all support immigrants who have come here legally,” said Speaker Sexton. “However, if you are in Tennessee illegally, then you will be asked to provide legal status or referred to ICE. Whether you are seeking public benefits, government jobs, CDL licenses, or registering a vehicle. We are committed to protecting tax dollars, reducing fraud, and ending sanctuary loopholes.”

The press conference was held inside Lt. Governor Randy McNally’s conference room on Thursday morning.

Tennessee’s Democratic leadership, alongside an immigration coalition responded to the Republicans’ immigration bills announcement on Thursday.

“Last year we held town halls in rural communities from one end of our state to another,” House Democratic Caucus Chairman Rep. John Ray Clemmons said.

“The words ‘illegal immigration’ were never once mentioned as a concern. What I heard over and over again were concerns about the increasing cost of groceries, fears about increased insurance premiums and less access to healthcare, frustration over the quality of roads and attacks on public education, and affordable housing. Those are the issues on which Democrats will be focused this session.”

“Immigration is part of the American story, and, as the daughter of an immigrant, it’s part of my American story, too,” Senate Democratic Leader Sen. Raumesh Akbari said.

“Our immigration system is broken—but fear-based crackdowns and dangerous dragnet operations don’t fix anything. These policies separate families, endanger Americans and distract our leaders from the issues that matter most to Tennesseans. Voters said loud and clear they want us to address the affordability crisis and bring down the cost of living. But instead of working on solutions for housing, healthcare, grocery costs and child care, Republicans are ramping up a dangerous distraction that avoids the hard work of lowering costs and investing in our future. Instead of taking election year orders from the White House, we should be focused on solutions that help Tennesseans build a stable, good life.”

Copyright 2025 WSMV. All rights reserved.