Tennessee State Representative Lee Reeves (R-Franklin), who is seeking the Republican nomination in the race for Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District, says Congress must codify President Donald Trump’s executive order penalizing sanctuary jurisdictions that obstruct federal immigration enforcement.
On April 28, Trump issued an executive order titled, “Protecting American Communities from Criminal Aliens” directing the federal government to identify and penalize sanctuary jurisdictions that obstruct federal immigration enforcement by potentially cutting off federal funding and pursuing legal action.
The order also aims to prevent illegal aliens in sanctuary jurisdictions from receiving federal benefits and to stop state or local policies that favor illegal aliens over U.S. citizens.
As required by Trump’s executive order, in May, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released a list identifying all sanctuary jurisdictions in the U.S. that are “deliberately and shamefully obstructing the enforcement of federal immigration laws endangering American communities.”
At the time, that list included Nashville and Shelby County. On August 5, an updated list published by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) excluded the two Tennessee municipalities from being identified as sanctuary jurisdictions.
BREAKING: Lee Reeves, the America First conservative Republican candidate for Congress in TN 7 issued a bold call for federal legislation to end sanctuary city & state policies nationwide, standing firmly with President @realDonaldTrump's agenda to secure America’s borders and… pic.twitter.com/6pZcez6gB2
— Lee Reeves (@LeeReevesTN) August 11, 2025
Reeves, who previously announced the first bill he would introduce in Congress would codify Trump’s executive order ending birthright citizenship for children born to illegal aliens on U.S. soil, said he would work in D.C. to codify Trump’s executive order regarding sanctuary jurisdictions.
“I am calling for additional strong federal legislation to end sanctuary policies nationwide and impose real penalties on jurisdictions that pursue them—including steep fines and the loss of federal funding. Cities and states should not be allowed to flout federal immigration laws without consequence. America will no longer tolerate breaking our laws,” Reeves said in a statement.
The state representative pointed out how sanctuary city and state policies hinder immigration enforcement, protect criminals, promote trafficking, and strain public resources like schools, hospitals, and taxpayers.
Outlawing sanctuary city and state policies, Reeves said, will ensure the “safety of our communities, the sovereignty of our country, and the future of our children.”
Reeves called out Nashville – under the leadership of Mayor Freddie O’Connell and local officials like State Representative Aftyn Behn (D-Nashville), one of his opponents in the congressional race – as one of the jurisdictions that should be federally defunded if it does not cease enabling illegal immigration and violating Tennessee state laws.
“If jurisdictions like Democrat-run Nashville don’t get with the program, they should be federally defunded. They already are scorning state laws right here in Tennessee. Democrats like Mayor Freddie O’Connell and Aftyn Behn who interfere with ICE should resign from their positions,” Reeves said.
Reeves is one of eight Republicans seeking the party’s nomination in the October 7 special primary election.
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Kaitlin on X / Twitter.
Photo “Lee Reeves” by Lee Reeves.
