Legislation that would make the unauthorized release of the name of federal immigration officers by state or local officials a Class E felony in Tennessee passed the State Senate last Monday.
As submitted earlier this year by State Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson (R-Franklin), Senate Bill (SB) 1464 would have prohibited the release of personal information about individuals at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), including a total prohibition on releasing names of agents.
The amended version that passed last week would allow officer names to be released after an operation ends, so long as the information is not paired with other personally identifying details, including the ICE agent’s address, contact information, or similar information.
It also clarifies that names can still be released while investigating misconduct claims, and that the legislation would not require mandatory redaction of names from court records.
The Senate passed the bill with 26 votes in favor and six against.
In the State House, HB 2506 was advanced by the State and Local Government Committee in a 16-5 vote last Wednesday, and is slated for consideration by the Government Operations Committee on Monday.
Republican leaders in the General Assembly announced the bill as part of a legislative package aimed at unifying Tennessee’s immigration laws with the Trump administration’s objectives.
“We are sending a very strong message today, with this legislative package, that in Tennessee, we want to be the model for the nation,” said Johnson (R-Franklin) in January. “That we’re not only going to cooperate with the White House and our federal immigration officials, but we’re going to do everything we can to make sure they’re successful.”
The bill was submitted months after Metro Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell’s office released the names of federal immigration officials who participated in the May 2025 joint operation with Tennessee Highway Patrol via a public database summary of an interaction between a Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) officer and federal law enforcement.
That joint operation resulted in nearly 200 arrests. More than 11,000 suspected illegal aliens were charged with crimes in Tennessee last year.
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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].
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