State Representatives Judd Matheny (R-Tullahoma), Bryan Terry (R-Murfeesboro), and Sheila Butt (R-Columbia), who spearheaded the effort to obtain signatures of 63 members of the Tennessee House of Representatives on a letter expressing opposition to the proposed, now withdrawn, Metro Nashville sanctuary city ordinances, released a statement about that withdrawal on Thursday.
“Yesterday, with the withdrawing of the proposed Nashville sanctuary city ordinances by Councilmen Mendes and Sledge, the voices of many Tennesseans were heard. The threat of Nashville becoming a sanctuary city or even a de facto sanctuary city for illegal immigrants who commit criminal offenses mobilized grassroots organizations and numerous citizens to stand in the gap for the safety and security of all Tennesseans and legal residents of the state including immigrants and refugees,” the statement began.
“We would like to personally thank the individuals and organizations that advocated for their fellow Tennesseans by emailing and calling their elected officials including Metro Nashville Council Members. We are a government of, for, and by the people and public participation is the cornerstone of our republic,” the statement continued:
Additionally, we would like to thank the Tennessee General Assembly for their overwhelming and decisive response to the pending legislation. There were over 60 members of the Tennessee House and 9 Senators who joined in publicly denouncing the proposed ordinances that threatened the safety of Tennesseans.
Tennessee has flourished under Republican leadership and we have had one of the most constitutionally sound anti-sanctuary city laws in place since 2009. The law has not prohibited legal immigrants nor refugees from prospering in Tennessee nor prohibited them from adding value to our state and our communities. Looking to circumvent or ignore state law by setting up conditions for a sanctuary city or even a de facto sanctuary city when the current situation has proven effective leads one to the conclusion that the intent was not for the betterment of Tennesseans and legal residents, but one that enhanced criminal activity. Freedom is always best protected when everyone respects the rule of law and is required to obey it. Many Tennesseans obviously agreed.
As legislators, we look to improve and protect the lives and liberties of Tennesseans and of those legally within our borders including immigrants, refugees, and U.S. citizens from other states. With those intentions in mind, we look forward to working in partnership with Nashville and Metro Davidson County for the betterment of our great state.
Matheny discussed the withdrawal of the proposed sanctuary city ordinances on WTN 99.7 FM’s Nashville’s Morning News with Ralph Bristol on Thursday morning.
“On this particular issue, we would settle for nothing other than unconditional surrender on this unconstitutional act,” Matheny told Bristol.
“Rep. Bryan Terry from Rutherford County was also instrumental in this. Bryan wrote some legislation that had some massive teeth that would have pulled economic funding from Davidson County. Â Also Rep. Sheila Butt was instrumental in helping garner the signatures, and of all our colleagues in the Tennessee House of Representatives [who signed the letter],” Matheny noted.
“This was a sublime victory, Ralph, in that we hate to go to a fight with our fellow Tennesseans, but when it sets a bad example for the nation,when it is antithetical to the Constitution, when it’s  terrible public policy, we have to make  a stand,” Matheny added.
You can read the full statement here:
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