TennesseeTennessee sheriffs must make federal immigration enforcement agreements
Tennessee law requires certified county sheriffs to make federal immigration enforcement agreements, and directs a state board to set rules for briefly holding some detainees before transfer.
What it does
POST-certified county sheriffs must make an agreement with federal officials to enforce immigration law by January 1, 2027. The state may withhold funds if a sheriff's office violates this requirement.
Other law enforcement agencies may make federal immigration enforcement agreements without local governing-body approval. State reports using agency data must show which agency supplied each part.
The board must set rules for briefly holding certain detainees before transfer to federal immigration custody. The rules apply only when transfer is due within 48 hours, excluding weekends and holidays, after sheriff custody ends.
Argument forA transfer schedule and records could help facilities track detainees held briefly while they wait to enter federal custody.
Argument againstSheriffs could lose state funds for failing to make an agreement, while local governments cannot require approval of these agreements.
More detail
Each POST-certified county sheriff must make an agreement with a federal official under an available 287(g) program. The requirement applies only to county sheriffs certified by the state to work as law enforcement officers. Available programs include jail, warrant service, task force, and tribal task force models. The local government's governing body does not have to approve the agreement. A sheriff's office may temporarily suspend the agreement during an emergency that requires deputies or resources to respond to a legitimate threat to public safety and welfare. The sheriff must give notice as soon as practicable. The agreement must be made by January 1, 2027. This section ends February 1, 2029, when the prior law is restored.
Other law enforcement agencies may negotiate agreements with federal officials, and state immigration reports using agency data must identify each reporting agency's data separately. These provisions apply to law enforcement agencies other than sheriff's departments and to state immigration reports that use law enforcement agency data. Agreements must follow federal law, train each agency officer for their role, and allow enforcement to the extent federal law permits. The local government's governing body does not have to approve an agreement. The section containing these provisions ends February 1, 2029, when the prior law is restored.
The Tennessee Corrections Institute board must adopt a rule for temporarily holding certain detainees while they await transfer to federal custody. A detainee is someone held under a federal immigration enforcement agreement by a sheriff's department. The rule applies only when the person is to be transferred to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement within 48 hours, excluding weekends and holidays, after the period of lawful sheriff custody. The rule must allow these detainees to be excluded from facility population counts used for capacity limits and other detention standards. Sheriffs must keep verifiable records of the scheduled transfer date and make them available for inspection. The board must review and approve the rules each year. This subsection ends February 1, 2029.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- May 26Pub. Ch. 1015Latest
- May 26Effective date(s) 05/19/2026
- May 19Signed by Governor Bill Lee.Became Law
- May 7Transmitted to Governor for his action.To Governor
- May 5Signed by Senate SpeakerMajor
- Apr 30Signed by H. SpeakerMajor
- Apr 29Enrolled; ready for sig. of H. Speaker.Minor
- Apr 23Senate substituted House Bill for companion Senate Bill.Major
- Vote recorded FLOOR VOTE: Motion to Table Amend# 3 by Senator Yarbro 4/23/2026 Passed. Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded FLOOR VOTE: Third Consideration 4/23/2026 Passed. Result: pass.Upper
- Apr 23Amendment withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - SA0874)
- Apr 23Amendment withdrawn. (Amendment 2 - SA1077)
- Apr 23Amendment tabled (Amendment 3 - SA1110)Minor
- Apr 23Passed Senate, Ayes 24, Nays 7Passed Senate
- Apr 21Received from House, Passed on First ConsiderationMinor
- Apr 20Am. withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - HA0670)Minor
- Vote recorded FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR MOTION TO CONSIDER AMENDMENT # 4 BY SALINAS AS AMENDED PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 4/20/2026 Failed. Result: fail.Lower
- Vote recorded FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR MOTION TO CONSIDER AMENDMENT # 5 BY SALINAS AS AMENDED PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 4/20/2026 Failed. Result: fail.Lower
- Vote recorded HOUSE CALENDAR & RULES COMMITTEE: H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/20/2026 4/16/2026. Result: fail.Lower
- Vote recorded FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR PREVIOUS QUESTION AS AMENDED PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 4/20/2026 Passed. Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR AS AMENDED PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 4/20/2026 Passed. Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR MOTION TO ADOPT AMENDMENT # 3 BY JONES J AS AMENDED PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 4/20/2026 Failed. Result: fail.Lower
- Apr 20H. adopted am. (Amendment 2 - HA1032)Major
- Apr 20Failed to adopt am (Amendment 3 - HA1222), Ayes 22, Nays 72, PNV 0
- Apr 20Sponsor(s) Added.Minor
- Apr 20Passed H., as am., Ayes 71, Nays 25, PNV 0Passed House
- Apr 20Engrossed; ready for transmission to Sen.Minor
- Apr 16Sponsor(s) Added.Minor
- Apr 16H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/20/2026
- Apr 15Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/15/2026
- Vote recorded HOUSE FINANCE, WAYS, AND MEANS COMMITTEE: Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee 4/15/2026 Passed. Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded HOUSE FINANCE, WAYS, AND MEANS SUBCOMMITTEE: Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee 4/15/2026 Passed. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 15Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means CommitteeMinor
- Apr 15Placed on cal. Finance, Ways, and Means Committee for 4/15/2026
- Apr 15Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules CommitteeMinor
- Apr 15Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/16/2026
- Apr 8Placed behind the budget
- Apr 8Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/14/2026
- Apr 1Assigned to s/c Finance, Ways, and Means SubcommitteeMinor
- Apr 1Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/8/2026
- Mar 31Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means CommitteeMinor
- Vote recorded HOUSE STATE & LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE: Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee 3/31/2026 Passed. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 25Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 3/31/2026
- Mar 25Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/31/2026
- Mar 18Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 3/24/2026
- Mar 18Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/24/2026
- Mar 11Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 3/18/2026
- Mar 11Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/18/2026
- Mar 4Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 3/11/2026
- Mar 4Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/11/2026
- Feb 25Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/4/2026
- Feb 17Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to State & Local Government CommitteeMinor
- Vote recorded HOUSE DEPARTMENTS & AGENCIES SUBCOMMITTEE: Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to State & Local Government Committee 2/17/2026 Passed. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 11Ref. to State & Local Government CommitteeMinor
- Feb 11Assigned to s/c Departments & Agencies SubcommitteeMinor
- Feb 11Placed on s/c cal Departments & Agencies Subcommittee for 2/17/2026
- Feb 5P2C, caption bill, held on desk - pending amdt.
- Feb 4Intro., P1C.Minor
- Feb 3Sponsor(s) Added.Minor
- Feb 2Filed for introductionIntroduced
ImmigrationCriminal Justice