Immigration
Tennessee Is Taking Action. Dan Will Fight to Finish the Job.
Conservative families in East Tennessee know that the consequences of illegal immigration do not stay at the border. They show up in classrooms, emergency rooms, job sites, and community budgets. That era of Washington inaction is over.
48+
TN Agencies
Local and state agencies with 287(g) ICE agreements — up from just 2 in 2025
6 yrs
Prison
Maximum penalty for any public official who enacts or supports sanctuary city policies
July 4
2025
One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed — historic funding for border wall and ICE enforcement
The Border Is Not Just a Southern Problem
Conservative families in East Tennessee know that the consequences of illegal immigration do not stay at the border. They show up in classrooms, emergency rooms, job sites, and community budgets. When the federal government refuses to act, the burden falls on states and communities.
President Trump returned to office in January 2025 with a mandate to secure the border. From day one, his administration declared a national emergency, ended catch-and-release, and signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act on July 4, 2025 — delivering historic funding for border wall construction, ICE enforcement, and state and local partnerships.
The results are real. Illegal crossings have dropped, criminal deportations are up, and for the first time in decades, the federal government is treating border security as the national emergency that it is. But Tennessee did not wait for Washington to lead.
What Tennessee Has Already Done
During a special legislative session in January 2025, Governor Bill Lee and the Republican supermajority passed sweeping enforcement legislation — making Tennessee one of the strongest immigration enforcement states in the country.
The law created the Centralized Immigration Enforcement Division (CIED), led by a governor-appointed Chief Immigration Enforcement Officer coordinating directly with federal authorities. The CIED oversees 287(g) partnerships and distributes grants to local law enforcement agencies — effectively giving local officers ICE enforcement authority.
2TN
sheriffs with 287(g) agreements in 2025
48+
Local & state agencies enrolled today, including 5 East TN constable districts
The 2025 law also made it a felony — up to six years in prison — for any public official to enact or support sanctuary city policies. Additional provisions created a distinct driver's license design and criminalized the harboring and smuggling of undocumented immigrants at the state level.
Tennessee's 2026 Agenda: Going Further
Speaker Cameron Sexton and Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson unveiled Tennessee's "Immigration 2026" package in January 2026, developed in direct collaboration with White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller. Tennessee Republican leaders have called this package a model for the nation.
K-12 Enrollment Verification — all public schools required to verify student immigration status
E-Verify Mandate — every state and local government must use E-Verify before hiring any employee
Public Benefits Verification — citizenship and legal status verification before any taxpayer-funded benefit is distributed
Compliance Enforcement — agencies that fail to comply risk losing state funding; employees who knowingly ignore requirements face misdemeanor charges
Ordered Removal — remaining in Tennessee after exhausting legal options and being ordered to leave is a state misdemeanor
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Why This Matters in
East Tennessee
East Tennessee has not been immune to the effects of illegal immigration, and the communities here deserve straight talk about what is at stake.
The Labor Market
When illegal labor undercuts legitimate contractors or depresses wages at processing plants, East Tennessee workers pay the price. Carter, Johnson, and Washington Counties deserve a fair labor market where the rules apply equally to everyone.
The Fentanyl Crisis
The connection between an unsecured border and fentanyl flowing into Johnson City, Elizabethton, Mountain City, and rural Appalachia is not theoretical. It is a body count. Enforcement at every level is a public health imperative.
School Resources
School resources in East Tennessee counties are not unlimited. Verification requirements ensure taxpayer-funded education dollars go to students with a legal right to be here. That is fiscal responsibility — not cruelty.
Local Law Enforcement
East Tennessee sheriffs and constables who signed 287(g) agreements are doing the right thing. They deserve support in Nashville and Washington — not resistance. Dan will make sure they get it.
What Dan Will Do
Dan stands with Governor Lee, Speaker Sexton, and President Trump on illegal immigration — without hesitation or apology.
Vote for every dollar of border security
— full completion of the border wall and continued ICE expansion under the One Big Beautiful Bill
Oppose any effort to defund enforcement, create backdoor amnesty, or tie the hands of local law enforcement
Champion and expand the 287(g) program — ensure East Tennessee sheriffs have every resource to participate
Fight against federal pressure to penalize states like Tennessee for cooperating with immigration enforcement
Support a national E-Verify mandate — bring the country up to the standard Tennessee is setting
Champion Tennessee's "Immigration 2026" package as a model for national legislation
"This is not about hostility toward immigrants. Legal immigration has always been a source of strength for this country and for Tennessee. What this is about is the rule of law — and protecting the families of East Tennessee who deserve a representative who will fight for them."
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This campaign is built on grassroots support from families across Carter, Johnson, and Washington Counties. Your involvement makes a difference — whether you have five minutes or five hours to give.
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