A TN lawmaker suggests relocating undocumented individuals charged with minor offenses to sanctuary cities rather than removing them from the country.

A Tennessee lawmaker proposed a bill that mandates law enforcement to relocate illegal migrants charged with minor offenses to sanctuary cities instead of deporting them to another nation.

The Tennessee Illegal Immigration Act, which was filed by State Rep. Todd Warner, a Republican, would require law enforcement agencies to report illegal migrants to federal immigration authorities.

According to Warner, it could be more cost-effective for the state to send migrants to a sanctuary city rather than deporting them to their home countries, even if the federal government would eventually assume the deportation costs.

The speaker stated that the bill aims to make Tennessee safer by holding the federal government accountable for enforcing immigration law and recovering some costs from the state.

If ICE does not appear within 48 hours to retrieve an illegal migrant who is being held, law enforcement will assist in sending them to a sanctuary city. According to Warner, the arresting agency will be responsible for relocating the detained migrants.

According to Warner, the cost of this would be covered by withholding federal funds generated by Tennessee through the gas tax.

The lawmaker intends to include an amendment specifying that the bill applies only to illegal migrants accused of minor offenses, while violent offenders would still face deportation.

"Victimless crimes are not the focus, but rather the terrible crimes committed by someone," Warner stated to Fox 17.

The Advocacy and Education Manager at Tennessee Justice for Our Neighbors, Hannah Smalley, contends that the proposal would cause unnecessary family separation among migrants.

"Being transported away from your family is damaging, as it results in punitive consequences for people, regardless of whether they have been charged with crimes, solely based on their immigration status, as she told Fox 17."

"She pointed out that immigrants, like U.S. citizens, also commit crimes and face consequences such as fines or imprisonment. Therefore, linking immigration status to criminal behavior is unproductive for the community as a whole."

Although Warner needs to make changes to the bill, he hopes it will gain bipartisan backing in the legislature.