NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Tennessee lawmakers have passed legislation to require state and local law enforcement to detain immigrants for deportation at the request of federal officials without requiring warrants or probable cause.
The Republican-led House and Senate passed the bill Wednesday. It heads to Republican Gov. Bill Haslam.
The legislation bans local governments from adopting "sanctuary" policies and threatens to withhold future state economic and community development money from localities not complying.
Most notably, local governments would have to comply with federal immigration detainers of people identified as in the country illegally.
The Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition called it "one of the most extreme, anti-immigrant proposals currently pending in the country."
Under the bill, Republican sponsor Rep. Jay Reedy said Tennessee law enforcement would only act when directed by federal authorities.
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