Tennessee House Bill HB1711

Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/15/26
• Refer: 1/22/26
• Refer: 2/17/26
• Refer: 3/31/26

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4; Title 7; Title 8 and Title 9, relative to reporting regarding persons not lawfully present in the United States.

Summary

HB1711 requires a broader set of state and local reporting related to people who are not lawfully present in the United States. It directs law enforcement agencies to coordinate with local governmental entities and officials and submit quarterly reports to Tennessee’s centralized immigration enforcement division and the appropriate federal official about illegal activities, including criminal gang activity and violations of federal immigration law. The reports must also include people arrested or otherwise detained for federal immigration violations. The bill also adds reporting obligations for local governmental entities and law enforcement agencies to notify the centralized immigration enforcement division about certain ordinance violations, civil-penalty matters, public-benefit receipt, and criminal charges or convictions involving individuals who are not U.S. citizens or qualified aliens. In addition, the Department of Finance and Administration must produce an annual cost report beginning December 31, 2026, estimating the state’s costs for public schools, higher education, prisons, hospitals, and social services provided to persons not lawfully present in the United States. The act takes effect July 1, 2026.

Impact

The bill would expand Tennessee’s immigration-related reporting requirements across multiple levels of government and create new administrative duties for law enforcement, local governments, and the Department of Finance and Administration. It would also strengthen the role of the centralized immigration enforcement division created in state law by making it the recipient of quarterly and annual reports and by requiring local entities to report certain violations and public-benefit usage. The bill adds a criminal penalty for an employee or official who fails to report as required, making noncompliance a Class A misdemeanor.

Sentiment

The available committee votes suggest the bill received support in committee, but not unanimously. It was recommended for passage in the House Departments & Agencies Subcommittee by a 5-2 vote and later advanced from the House State & Local Government Committee by a 16-6 vote, indicating a generally favorable but divided reception. No transcript discussion was provided, so the record reflects committee action more than detailed debate.

Contention

The main points of contention are likely the bill’s immigration-enforcement focus, the breadth of the reporting mandates, and the new misdemeanor penalty for failure to report. Critics may view the bill as imposing significant administrative burdens on local governments, schools, hospitals, and social service agencies, while supporters likely see it as improving immigration enforcement and transparency about public costs. The requirement to report on public benefits and on people who are not U.S. citizens or qualified aliens is especially likely to be controversial because it raises concerns about privacy, local compliance burdens, and the scope of state involvement in immigration matters.