Lawsuit Challenges Tennessee Harboring Law Before July Enforcement

A coalition including the Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection at Georgetown Law, the American Immigration Council, and the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition has filed a federal lawsuit challenging Tennessee's new Senate Bill 392, which criminalizes harboring undocumented immigrants. The law, signed by Governor Bill Lee and set to take effect on July 1, defines harboring broadly to include providing shelter, potentially criminalizing churches, landlords, and family members offering refuge to undocumented individuals. The lead plaintiffs include the Southeastern Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, a local landlord, and a Tennessee resident living with a son-in-law seeking asylum. Critics argue the law is unconstitutional because immigration enforcement is a federal responsibility and the law's vague language creates fear and confusion, potentially punishing humanitarian actions. Supporters of the law claim it targets human smuggling for financial gain and aims to make Tennessee inhospitable to illegal immigration. The lawsuit seeks an injunction to block enforcement of the law while the constitutional challenge proceeds.