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HB1707 • 2026

Immigration

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4; Title 7; Title 8; Title 16; Title 17 and Title 38, relative to immigration.

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
Scarbrough, Rose
Last action
2026-04-06
Official status
Received from House, Passed on First Consideration
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide details on penalties or enforcement mechanisms.

Amending Tennessee Laws on Immigration

This bill requires local governments and courts in Tennessee to cooperate with federal immigration authorities.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires local government entities to comply with court orders regarding sanctuary policies within 120 days of the issuance of the order.
  • Authorizes judges who obstruct lawful operations by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security or federal immigration authorities to be referred to the board of judicial conduct.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Local government entities in Tennessee
  • Judges in Tennessee

Terms To Know

Sanctuary policy
A local government's decision not to enforce federal immigration laws or cooperate with federal authorities.
Board of judicial conduct
An organization that reviews complaints about judges and can recommend actions against them if they break rules.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify what happens if local governments do not follow the court orders.
  • It is unclear how this law will be enforced or what penalties might apply to those who violate it.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

Amendment 1-0 to HB1707

Plain English: The amendment adds new rules that require Tennessee courts to help federal immigration authorities and allows judges who interfere with these efforts to be disciplined or removed.

  • Courts in Tennessee must work with U.S. Department of Homeland Security and other federal immigration agencies when they enforce immigration laws.
  • Judges can face disciplinary action from the board of judicial conduct if they get in the way of federal immigration enforcement.
  • The exact process for referring judges to the board of judicial conduct is not detailed, so it's unclear how this would work in practice.
Amendment 2-0 to HB1707

Plain English: The amendment adds new rules for Tennessee courts regarding cooperation with federal immigration authorities and sets consequences for judges who obstruct lawful operations.

  • Courts must cooperate with U.S. Department of Homeland Security and federal immigration authorities in enforcing federal immigration law.
  • Judges can be referred to the board of judicial conduct if they obstruct these lawful operations, potentially leading to removal from office.
  • The amendment specifies that judges do not have to deviate from existing rules or constitutional requirements, delay court proceedings for immigration enforcement, or disclose individuals' immigration status.
  • The exact procedures and consequences for judges are complex and may require further clarification.
Amendment 1-0 to SB1952

Plain English: The amendment adds a new section to Tennessee Code that allows judges who interfere with federal immigration enforcement to be disciplined and potentially removed from office.

  • Adds a new section in Title 16 of the Tennessee Code, which states that if a judge obstructs federal immigration authorities, they can face disciplinary action by the board of judicial conduct.
  • Specifies that findings of misconduct against judges by the board could lead to their removal from office according to Tennessee's Constitution.
  • The exact criteria for what constitutes 'obstructing lawful operations' is not defined in this amendment, leaving some ambiguity about how it would be applied.
Amendment 2-0 to SB1952

Plain English: This amendment adds a new section to Tennessee Code Annotated that allows judges who interfere with federal immigration enforcement to be referred to the board of judicial conduct and potentially removed from office.

  • Adds a new section in Title 16, Chapter 1 of Tennessee Code Annotated which states that if a judge obstructs lawful operations by U.S. Department of Homeland Security or federal immigration authorities, they can face disciplinary action through the board of judicial conduct.
  • Specifies that findings of misconduct against a judge by the board of judicial conduct may lead to removal from office according to Tennessee's Constitution.
  • The exact criteria for what constitutes 'obstructing lawful operations' is not defined in this amendment, leaving some ambiguity about how it will be applied.
  • It does not specify the process or timeline for referring a judge to the board of judicial conduct.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 7, Nays 2 PNV 0

  2. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Received from House, Passed on First Consideration

  3. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to Sen.

  4. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  5. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., as am., Ayes 71, Nays 24, PNV 0

  6. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. adopted am. (Amendment 1 - HA0758)

  7. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  8. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 4/8/2026

  9. 2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Refer to Senate Judiciary Committee

  10. 2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recalled from Senate State & Local Gov't Committee

  11. 2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor change.

  12. 2026-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/2/2026

  13. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 3/26/2026

  14. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 3/31/2026

  15. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate State and Local Government Committee to 3/31/2026

  16. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 3/25/2026

  17. 2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 3/25/2026

  18. 2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate State and Local Government Committee to 3/25/2026

  19. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Calendar & Rules Committee

  20. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 3/23/2026

  21. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in Judiciary Committee to 3/25/2026

  22. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 3/24/2026

  23. 2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate State and Local Government Committee to 3/24/2026

  24. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 3/18/2026

  25. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to Judiciary Committee

  26. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 3/17/2026

  27. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Civil Justice Subcommittee for 3/11/2026

  28. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Civil Justice Subcommittee to 3/11/2026

  29. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Civil Justice Subcommittee for 3/4/2026

  30. 2026-02-20 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Civil Justice Subcommittee

  31. 2026-02-20 Tennessee General Assembly

    Ref. to Judiciary Committee

  32. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate State and Local Government Committee

  33. 2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, caption bill, held on desk - pending amdt.

  34. 2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  35. 2026-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  36. 2026-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  37. 2026-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  38. 2026-01-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

ON APRIL 2, 2026, THE HOUSE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED HOUSE BILL 1707, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1
rewrites the bill to, instead, require each court to cooperate with the United States department of homeland security ("department") and federal immigration authorities acting in the enforcement of federal immigration law. This amendment authorizes a jud
ge who obstructs lawful operations by the department or such authorities to be referred to the board of judicial conduct for proceedings and any findings by the board that the judge committed judicial misconduct may be cause for removal.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SENATE BILL 1952
By Rose

HOUSE BILL 1707
By Scarbrough
HB1707
011350
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4;
Title 7; Title 8; Title 16; Title 17 and Title 38,
relative to immigration.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 7-68-104(d), is amended by deleting
the language "less than ninety (90) days nor".
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.