Tennessee has enacted a groundbreaking law that makes harboring illegal immigrants a punishable crime.
Signed into effect by Governor Bill Lee in May 2025, Senate Bill 392, which took effect July 1, sends a clear message: Tennessee will not be a safe haven for those who flout federal immigration laws.
The new law targets landlords, business owners, and “sanctuary sympathizers” who knowingly harbor illegal aliens in exchange for rent or services — a Class E felony punishable by up to six years in prison and fines up to $3,000.
For cases involving children under 13, the penalty escalates to a Class A felony, with potential sentences of up to 60 years.
A coalition including the Southeastern Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, TIRRC, ICAP, and the American Immigration Council has sued in federal court to block the law, citing First Amendment and Supremacy Clause violations.
Hellbound and Down 