NASHVILLE, Tenn (WTVF) — Seven Metro Council members have filed a lawsuit against Tennessee lawmakers over a new immigration bill that makes it a felony for local elected officials to vote for sanctuary cities.
The ACLU of Tennessee, representing the council members, filed the lawsuit Tuesday, claiming the law violates First Amendment rights of locally elected officials.
"Free speech allows us to represent our communities' needs as accurately as possible," Metro Council member Delisha Porterfield said.
Porterfield, one of the seven council members involved in the lawsuit, says the new law puts her work and her words in danger.
The bill, passed during the Special Session, creates a Tennessee Border Czar who would coordinate with the Trump Administration and provide grants to encourage local law enforcement cooperation.
It also establishes a new class E felony for any official who votes in support of alleged sanctuary policies, punishable by up to six years of jail time and a $3,000 fine.
"Voting to establish a sanctuary city is just that -- we're not going to have that in the state of Tennessee," Rep. William Lamberth said in January.
Tennessee doesn't currently allow sanctuary cities, but this bill would further punish lawmakers who attempt to establish them.
"As an elected official, I have a First Amendment right to debate, deliberate, and vote on issues that are important to my constituents without the government telling me what my viewpoints should be when I get ready to take my vote," Porterfield said.
Porterfield argues the law is vague and unconstitutional.
"This is an unprecedented effort to criminalize legislative speech, debate, and deliberation, and then an example of state overreach and abuse of power," she said.
Rep. Lamberth, the House sponsor of the bill, responded on X, writing: "The ultra liberals on the Metro Council are so obsessed with illegal immigrants, they are suing for the ability to vote for sanctuary city policies like other liberal states allow. We do NOT allow and NEVER will allow sanctuary cities in this great state."
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The plaintiffs include:
Clay Capp, District 6 Council Member
Brenda Gadd, District 24 Council Member
Delishia D. Porterfield, Council Member At Large
Sandra Sepulveda, District 30 Council Member
Zulfat Suara, Council Member At Large
Terry Vo, District 17 Council Member
Ginny Welsch, District 16 Council Member
The complaint filed today can be found online here.
This story was reported on-air by Kelsey Gibbs and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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