Brentwood, TN – Democratic gubernatorial nominee Jerri Green is promising to use executive power to end Tennessee’s cooperation with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), putting her directly at odds with Tennessee law requiring each county sheriff to enter into an available federal 287(g) agreement with ICE.
According to Green’s campaign website, she would:
- Sign an executive order on her first day in office to “end local and state law enforcement cooperation with ICE.”
- Sign an executive order banning ICE from entering state buildings.
- Prevent members of her administration and state employees from sharing personal identifying information or immigration status with federal immigration agents.
- Provide state funding for legal representation for immigrants facing deportation and “know your rights” information for immigrant and refugee communities.
- Direct the Tennessee Department of Labor to issue guidance to businesses and workers regarding ICE access to workplaces.
The federal 287(g) program, administered by ICE, allows trained state and local law enforcement officers to perform certain immigration enforcement functions under ICE supervision. Under the Jail Enforcement Model, these agreements allow participating officers to identify and process illegal immigrants in state or local custody and facilitate their transfer into federal immigration proceedings, with ICE assuming custody when appropriate.
In a September 16 interview with Telemundo Nashville, Green also said she would terminate 287(g) agreements involving ICE, citing recent immigration enforcement operations in Shelby County.
During last week’s Republican National Convention, families who lost loved ones to violent crimes committed by illegal immigrants testified that tragedies like these could have been prevented if 287(g) partnerships had been in place.
For more information on Marsha’s campaign, visit marshablackburn.com.
###