Andy Sher, Nashville Bureau
Copyright 2006 Chattanooga Publishing Company
NASHVILLE -- A House subcommittee on Tuesday effectively killed legislation that would have required some Tennessee Highway Patrol officers to be trained to enforce federal immigration laws.
Members voted 5-4 and deferred further consideration of the bill until Labor Day -- well after the General Assembly is expected to adjourn.
Rep. Ben West, D-Nashville, and other Democrats on the state government subcommittee argued the trooper enforcement bill was not needed and could lead to racial and ethnic profiling of Hispanics.
“Profiling is wrong any way you slice it,” Rep. West said.
But Rep. Dewayne Bunch, R-Cleveland, and other proponents noted that states such as Alabama have not had problems as they entered into similar memorandums of agreement with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Rep. Bunch said the legislation would give troopers a useful tool to help stem the tide of illegal immigrants.
“The net result is it helps stop the problem with illegal immigration,” he argued.
The Senate already has passed the legislation. It would require a small group of troopers to get training and enforce federal immigration laws in addition to their regular duties. The sponsor, Rep. Delores Gresham, R-Somerville, said troopers would not be conducting raids.
The trooper enforcement bill drew concern from Bolivian native Juan Caneda, now a U.S. citizen.
“This bill would be specifically targeting people because of their ethnicity,” said Mr. Caneda, who lives in Nashville.
The bill is one of nearly two dozen measures in the General Assembly that deals with illegal aliens, a front-burner topic at both the state and national levels.
In related immigration legislation action, the Senate Commerce Committee voted Monday to make it a Class E felony for employers to “knowingly” hire illegal aliens. Violators would be subject to fines of up to $10,000.
On Tuesday, a House safety subcommittee delayed action on a bill that would require driver’s license exams be given only in English.
E-mail Andy Sher at asher@timesfreepress.com