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SB2223 • 2026

Immigration

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4; Title 7; Title 8; Title 16; Title 17; Title 38; Title 39; Title 40 and Title 41, relative to immigration.

Active

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

Sponsor
Johnson, Garrett
Last action
2026-04-20
Official status
Action deferred in Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee to 4/21/2026
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official summary does not provide details on the specific changes to each title of the Tennessee Code or mention removal of any language.

Law about Immigration Policies

This bill requires local governments in Tennessee to follow court orders regarding sanctuary policies within 120 days.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires local government entities to comply with a court order regarding an unlawful sanctuary policy within 120 days of the issuance of the court's order.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Local government entities in Tennessee
  • Courts issuing orders about sanctuary policies

Terms To Know

Sanctuary policy
A local government's decision not to enforce federal immigration laws or cooperate with federal immigration authorities.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify what happens if a local government fails to comply within the time limit.
  • It is unclear how this law will affect specific communities and individuals in Tennessee.

Amendments

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

Amendment 1-0 to HB2219

Plain English: The amendment requires Tennessee county sheriffs to enter into federal immigration enforcement agreements by January 1, 2027, and outlines specific conditions for these agreements.

  • Requires each county sheriff in Tennessee to enter into a federal 287(g) program agreement by January 1, 2027, without needing local government approval.
  • Specifies that the sheriff's office can temporarily suspend compliance with the agreement during emergencies if it threatens public safety and welfare.
  • Allows other law enforcement agencies besides sheriffs to negotiate similar agreements for federal immigration enforcement.
  • Requires detailed reporting by law enforcement agencies on immigration-related data.
  • The amendment does not specify what happens if a sheriff fails to comply with the requirement or how funds will be withheld in such cases.
Amendment 2-0 to HB2219

Plain English: The amendment requires Tennessee county sheriffs to enter into federal immigration enforcement agreements by January 1, 2027, and outlines specific conditions for these agreements.

  • Requires each county sheriff in Tennessee to enter into a federal 287(g) program agreement by January 1, 2027, without needing local government approval.
  • Specifies that the sheriff's office can temporarily suspend compliance with the agreement during emergencies threatening public safety and welfare.
  • Adds requirements for other law enforcement agencies to negotiate agreements under federal immigration law, also exempt from local government approval.
  • The amendment text does not specify what happens if a sheriff fails to comply with the requirement by January 1, 2027, beyond mentioning that funds may be withheld.
  • Details on how the agreements will be enforced and monitored are not provided in this amendment.
Amendment 3-0 to HB2219

Plain English: The amendment changes certain parts of a bill related to immigration, altering how individuals can enter specific sections and adjusting numbering.

  • Changes 'must enter' to 'may enter' in subdivision (b)(1)(A) of Section 1.
  • Removes the reference to '(b)(1)(D)' in subdivision (b)(1)(D) of Section 1, changing it to refer to '(b)(1)(C)' instead.
  • Deletes subdivision (b)(1)(C) from Section 1 and adjusts numbering for other subdivisions accordingly.
  • The exact impact of these changes on the overall bill is not fully explained in the provided amendment text.
Amendment 4-0 to HB2219

Plain English: The amendment adds a new section to the bill, renaming it as the 'Decreasing Safety for All Act of 2026'.

  • Adds a new section that renames the entire act to the 'Decreasing Safety for All Act of 2026'
  • The amendment text does not provide details about what changes this new name implies or what specific provisions are being added.
Amendment 1-0 to SB2223

Plain English: The amendment requires Tennessee county sheriffs to enter into federal immigration enforcement agreements by January 1, 2027, and outlines specific conditions for these agreements.

  • Requires each county sheriff in Tennessee to enter into a federal 287(g) program agreement by January 1, 2027, without needing local government approval.
  • Specifies that the sheriff's office can temporarily suspend compliance with the agreement during emergencies threatening public safety and welfare.
  • Adds requirements for law enforcement agencies other than sheriffs' departments to negotiate agreements under federal immigration enforcement laws.
  • The amendment text does not specify what happens if a sheriff fails to comply by January 1, 2027, beyond mentioning that funds may be withheld.
  • Details on the training requirements for officers and specific conditions of agreements are referenced but not fully detailed in this excerpt.
Amendment 2-0 to SB2223

Plain English: The amendment requires Tennessee sheriffs to enter into federal immigration enforcement agreements by January 1, 2027, and outlines specific conditions for these agreements.

  • Requires each county sheriff in Tennessee to enter into a federal 287(g) program agreement by January 1, 2027, without needing local government approval.
  • Specifies that the sheriff's office can temporarily suspend compliance with the agreement during emergencies threatening public safety and welfare.
  • Adds requirements for law enforcement agencies other than sheriffs to negotiate agreements under federal immigration law, also exempt from local government approval.
  • The amendment text does not specify what happens if a sheriff fails to comply with the requirement by January 1, 2027.
  • Details on how the state will withhold funds for non-compliance are not fully explained in plain terms.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-20 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee to 4/21/2026

  2. 2026-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 4/20/2026

  3. 2026-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/20/2026

  4. 2026-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  5. 2026-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/16/2026

  6. 2026-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee

  7. 2026-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Finance, Ways, and Means Committee for 4/15/2026

  8. 2026-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

  9. 2026-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/15/2026

  10. 2026-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 4/21/2026

  11. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/14/2026

  12. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed behind the budget

  13. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/8/2026

  14. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee

  15. 2026-03-31 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

  16. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee Ayes 6, Nays 3 PNV 0

  17. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  18. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/31/2026

  19. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 3/31/2026

  20. 2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  21. 2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate State and Local Government 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. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/24/2026

  24. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 3/24/2026

  25. 2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  26. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  27. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/18/2026

  28. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 3/18/2026

  29. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/11/2026

  30. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 3/11/2026

  31. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/4/2026

  32. 2026-02-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to State & Local Government Committee

  33. 2026-02-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Departments & Agencies Subcommittee for 2/17/2026

  34. 2026-02-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Departments & Agencies Subcommittee

  35. 2026-02-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Ref. to State & Local Government Committee

  36. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  37. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  38. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  39. 2026-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  40. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  41. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  42. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HOUSE BILL 2219
By Garrett

SENATE BILL 2223
By Johnson
SB2223
012311
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4;
Title 7; Title 8; Title 16; Title 17; Title 38; Title 39;
Title 40 and Title 41, 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.