The Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC), the pro-illegal alien nonprofit that on Friday filed a lawsuit against the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security (TDOSHS) in Davidson County Chancery Court over the new driver’s license law passed in Tennessee last year, earlier this year was allocated $735,000 in the budget approved by the Metro Nashville Council in June.
In its Friday complaint, TIRRC challenged a portion of one of Tennessee’s new immigration laws that requires lawful immigrants to provide a qualifying visa, immigration documentation, or resident card in order to receive a special license authorizing them to drive in the Volunteer State.
Previously, the lawsuit states that applicants could provide federally issued permits, including employment authorization permits, to establish that their presence is authorized.
However, the TDOSHS website contends that a work permit only “shows that a person is authorized to work,” and “does not establish any immigration status or period of authorized stay,” as is required for noncitizens to obtain a temporary driver’s license in Tennessee.
In June, Metro Nashville approved the mayor’s request to include $735,000 for TIRRC in its budget for fiscal year (FY) 2027.
While The Tennessee Star filed a request in June under the Tennessee Public Records Act (TPRA) for the documents nonprofits must submit under Tennessee Code Annotated (TCA) 7-3-314(b) when seeking funding from metropolitan governments, O’Connell’s office refused to release them, citing attorney-client privilege.
The Metro Nashville Clerk initially claimed his office was not required to provide the information, but later provided The Star with a series of emails related to the budget. None included submissions required under TCA 7-3-314(b).
The Metro Nashville Council claimed it would submit its response to The Star’s public records request in June by November 13, saying the documents required by Tennessee law may be contained among approximately 1,548 emails.
Recently, a federal judge denied TIRRC’s bid to block the Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) from cooperating with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in a separate lawsuit targeting Tennessee. The nonprofit sought a preliminary injunction, arguing constitutional violations occur when THP and ICE work together during traffic stops.
In August, the political action committee (PAC) associated with the nonprofit, TIRRC Votes, endorsed Democratic Party nominee Jerri Green in the Tennessee gubernatorial election.
When announcing the endorsement, TIRRC Votes cited Green’s work to settle refugees in Tennessee, as well as her work in Memphis to oppose immigration enforcement.
– – –
Tom Pappert is a 2025 recipient of the Dao Prize and the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star. He also reports for the Star News Network. Follow Tom on X. Email tips to [email protected].
