Special Session Adjourns
The special session has ended, but it was met with significant protests and rallies as Tennesseans continue to push back against the GOP supermajority and its extreme agenda. Despite widespread public opposition, Governor Lee’s priority legislation—focused on immigration enforcement and private school vouchers—was rushed through committees in just two days and passed by the House and Senate on Thursday evening. The rapid pace and limited debate surrounding these bills have raised serious concerns about their long-term impact on civil rights, public education, and government transparency.
Community members, advocacy groups, and local leaders mobilized this week, voicing opposition to policies they say will harm immigrant communities, underfund public schools, and criminalize public officials who support sanctuary policies. Protests and rallies at the State Capitol underscored growing frustration with lawmakers' disregard for public input.
Now that the special session has concluded, AMAC remains committed to working with partners to challenge the harmful provisions of these laws and continue advocating for policies that protect Tennessee’s diverse communities. The fight is far from over, and we encourage all Tennesseans to stay engaged as we enter the regular legislative session, where more critical issues will be debated.
Immigration Bill
AMAC is deeply concerned about the immigration bill that passed, which raises constitutional issues and threatens civil rights. The legislation establishes a $5 million office within the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, allowing Gov. Bill Lee to appoint an enforcement director and incentivize local law enforcement to contract with federal immigration authorities. It also introduces a new driver’s license that distinguishes U.S. citizens from legal permanent residents.
Additionally, the bill creates a four-person state immigration enforcement division within the Department of Safety and Homeland Security to oversee state immigration grants and coordinate with federal authorities. This division will receive approximately $500,000 annually from state taxpayers. A concerning amendment exempts all records collected by this office from public records laws, making its work confidential.
One of the most alarming provisions criminalizes local officials who support sanctuary policies, making it a Class E felony—punishable by up to six years in prison and a $3,000 fine—for any public official who votes in favor of such measures.
The bill also allocates $5 million in grants to county sheriffs and police departments that agree to participate in the federal 287(g) program, deputizing local law enforcement to enforce federal immigration laws.
AMAC strongly opposes this legislation and will work with partners to explore all options to challenge its harmful provisions.
Voucher Bill
The voucher bill has also drawn sharp criticism for diverting public school funding to private education at a time when public schools are already underfunded. Opponents argue it will disproportionately harm the most vulnerable students, particularly those in struggling districts, by redirecting crucial resources away from public education.
In a narrow vote, the Tennessee Legislature approved a $430 million private-school voucher program that critics warn could quickly grow to $1 billion, straining the state budget. The House passed the bill 54-44, with 20 Republicans opposing it—just four votes shy of blocking it. The Senate followed with a 20-13 vote, marking the end of Gov. Bill Lee’s six-year push for a statewide voucher program.
Lee’s plan provides over $7,000 per student for 20,000 students statewide, with an annual expansion of about 5,000 students. State financial analysis shows that two-thirds of these vouchers are expected to go to students already in private schools. In the first year, half of the participants may come from families earning up to 300% of the federal poverty level (approximately $175,000 for a family of four), while the rest face no income limit. After the first year, there will be no income restrictions. The bill also allows students to use vouchers for online private schools.
State Legislative Update
Immigration has been a key focus of the special session. Governor Lee has proposed coordinating with the Trump administration on immigrant detentions and deportations. SB6002/HB6001 makes it a Class E felony for public officials who vote to enact sanctuary policies. If passed, officials who support such laws, policies, or resolutions could face up to six years in prison and a $3,000 fine. The bill also includes the creation of a centralized immigration enforcement division, projected to cost $5.5 million, aimed at encouraging local law enforcement to cooperate with federal authorities.
Opponents of the bill, including Republican Sen. Todd Gardenhire and Democratic lawmakers, argue that it sets a dangerous precedent by criminalizing votes cast by public officials. Gardenhire, one of the few Republicans opposing the measure, attempted to remove the criminal penalties through an amendment, but it was rejected. Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson defended the bill, stating that the penalties align with the desires of constituents and that it would ultimately be up to judges to interpret and enforce the law.
Tennessee already outlawed sanctuary cities in 2019, preventing local governments from adopting sanctuary status. That law also allowed citizens to challenge a jurisdiction’s policies in court and granted the state the authority to withhold funding from noncompliant local governments.
As part of the immigration measure passed by the Senate, the new immigration enforcement division created by the governor will be exempt from the Public Records Act. This means the Department of Safety and Homeland Security can keep any records collected or received by the division or chief immigration officer confidential—including information from federal, state, or local entities.
While much attention has been given to the $5.5 million allocated for immigration enforcement training, less focus has been placed on this confidentiality provision. Another key component of the measure includes adding special markings to driver’s licenses issued to non-citizens. Lawmakers claim this is an election security measure to prevent undocumented immigrants from voting.
Governor Bill Lee’s school voucher plan has cleared key legislative hurdles, passing the House and Senate Education Committees as well as the House Finance Committee. The proposal advanced with a 17-7 vote in the House Education Committee, 8-1 in the Senate Education Committee, and 21-6 in the House Finance Committee.
A major component of the plan initially included a $2,000 bonus for public school teachers. However, under a new provision, local school boards must adopt a resolution affirming participation in the Education Freedom Act for teachers in their district to receive the bonus. If a district opts out, its teachers will not receive the additional pay.
Lawmakers also added an 11-page amendment to the bill, reshaping school construction and maintenance funding. Under this amendment, funds will first be directed to:
At-risk counties, high-performing districts, and fast-growing counties
Counties recovering from natural disasters
Remaining counties must apply for leftover funds
Additionally, the amendment allows some of the allocated funding to be redirected toward replenishing the HOPE Scholarship Fund.
Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) has reaffirmed that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) cannot access student or school records without legal authorization. These records are protected under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Even if ICE obtains legal authorization, the district's legal team will review it before granting access and will notify the parents of any student involved.
Following a tragic shooting at Antioch High School, in Nashville, where a student opened fire, killing himself and another student, students gathered at the State Capitol to advocate for stronger gun safety laws ahead of the special legislative session.
Governor Lee was urged to amend the session to include discussions on gun violence and school safety. However, under state law, special sessions cannot be amended once called.
Governor Lee had been scheduled for a press availability but instead traveled to North Carolina to meet with the President regarding Hurricane Helene relief efforts.
Residents of East Tennessee woke up to racist flyers urging immigrants to "self-deport" and calling on "white Protestants" to join the Ku Klux Klan. The flyers were scattered along roads and in front of homes, featuring an image of Uncle Sam pressing his foot on a cage filled with people.
William Bader, the imperial grand wizard of the Trinity White Knights, claimed responsibility for the distribution, stating that his group spread more than 2,000 leaflets across East Tennessee overnight.
National Updates
On January 29, 2025, President Donald Trump signed a new executive order that further expands on his 2019 executive order related to anti-Semitism and its definition under the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA). This new directive aims to punish university students who participate in protests or speech critical of Israel’s actions in Gaza, to silence Palestinian liberation voices.
The order directs government agencies to report on potential civil and criminal actions they can take to combat anti-Semitism, but its focus is to curtail freedom of speech—specifically on college campuses. The administration has continued to target students, faculty, and staff who engage in Palestinian rights activism. It demands universities to monitor and report on non-citizen students and staff who express critical views of Israel, which advocates say will chill speech and create an atmosphere of fear and suspicion.
This executive order is seen as part of a broader attempt to criminalize dissent on campuses, creating a direct link between anti-Palestinian rhetoric and institutional policies. The goal is to silence criticism of Israel’s actions, particularly those related to the ongoing violence in Gaza. It would disproportionately affect Palestinian, Arab, Muslim, and other students of color, who are already subject to racist and discriminatory targeting on many campuses.
This executive order’s impact will likely extend beyond the Palestine movement, encouraging agencies to target any criticism of the administration’s policies, while universities may be pressured to act as agents of surveillance, further eroding the right to free expression in educational settings.
The implications of this executive order are far-reaching. The intent is not to simply combat anti-Semitism but to punish those speaking out against Israel’s policies and the ongoing genocide in Gaza. The broader implications of these measures underscore the critical need for universities and institutions to resist these pressures, protecting the free speech rights of their students, and upholding First Amendment protections for all.
More than 10,000 refugees who had been cleared to enter the United States are now unable to do so due to an executive order issued by President Trump. This includes individuals who were set to resettle in Middle Tennessee, whose status is now indefinitely on hold.
In addition, Trump issued a memo directing agencies to halt services funded by the State Department, the primary source of support for refugee resettlement. This move significantly impacts newly arrived refugees, restricting access to essential services such as housing and food assistance.
A federal judge has blocked an executive order issued by President Trump that sought to pause federal funding while his administration reviewed whether agencies align with his executive orders and policy priorities. The freeze was intended to halt certain grants and loans, but it did not affect programs providing direct assistance to Americans, such as Medicare, Social Security, student loans, and food stamps.
The order also required agencies to suspend spending on awarded grants if they were deemed to conflict with Trump’s executive directives. Agencies were instructed to complete a detailed review, responding to a series of yes-or-no questions based on a 51-page administration spreadsheet. Responses were due by February 7, and each agency was required to conduct a comprehensive analysis of all federal financial assistance programs.
The acting director of the Office of Management and Budget stated that the freeze should be implemented only to the extent allowed by law. However, the court's decision now prevents the administration from enforcing the pause, at least temporarily.
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