US EditionTennessee bill to criminalize ‘harboring or hiding” immigrants without legal status advances | Chattanooga Times Free Press
- A Tennessee bill criminalizing the harboring of individuals without legal immigration status has passed a house subcommittee, introducing a Class A misdemeanor and penalties of up to $1,000 and one year in jail for each individual harbored or shielded.
- The proposed legislation includes a felony for 'human smuggling,' punishable by up to six years in prison and a $3,000 fine for certain actions, with stricter penalties for minors involved.
- Opponents, including Democratic lawmakers and immigrant advocates, argue that the bill could endanger family members in mixed-status households and the work of nonprofits helping immigrants.
- Rep. Chris Todd stated that the bill is necessary to differentiate human smuggling from existing human trafficking laws, while Rep. Jason Powell expressed concerns over its impact on communities and families.
9 Articles
9 Articles
Proposed TN bill seeks to criminalize harboring illegal immigrants, human smuggling
PRESS RELEASE FROM REP. CHRIS TODD’S OFFICE: NASHVILLE, Tenn. – State Rep. Chris Todd, R-Madison County, has proposed legislation to improve public safety in Tennessee by cracking down on human smuggling and illegal immigration. House Bill 322 will create the Class E felony offense of human smuggling, which includes encouraging or inducing someone to enter or remain in Tennessee by concealing, harboring or shielding them from detection. The offe…
Tennessee State House Advances Bill to Criminalize 'Harboring or Hiding' Illegal Immigrants, Prosecute Human Smugglers - Tennessee Star
The Tennessee State House Criminal Justice Subcommittee on Wednesday voted to advance legislation that would create the state-level offense of human smuggling and impose penalties for those caught "harboring or hiding" a person who they "should have known has illegally entered or remained in the United States." House Bill (HB) 322 by State Representative Chris Todd (R-Madison County) would amend Tennessee's laws against human trafficking by esta…
Iowa Capital Dispatch
Western Iowa Today 96.5 KSOM KS 95.7Iowa House passes bills on human smuggling, trafficking
The Iowa State Capitol on Feb. 5, 2025. (Photo by Cami Koons/Iowa Capital Dispatch) Two bills on human trafficking were approved by the Iowa House Thursday. House File 572, passed 75-14, creates a new criminal offense for the act of human smuggling, defined as acts including transporting an individual with the intent to conceal them from law enforcement, encouraging or coercing a person to enter or stay in the U.S. by concealing or harboring the…
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