As the Metro Council begins to finalize Nashville’s budget for the upcoming fiscal year, Tennessee’s top Republicans have taken issue with the mayor’s proposal to provide funding to the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition and argue it could violate the state’s strict immigration laws.
Democrat Aftyn Behn says the state is ‘under siege’ by the GOP supermajority
Under Mayor Freddie O’Connell’s proposed budget, $735,000 would be allocated to TIRRC, a nonprofit organization advocating for immigrant rights in Tennessee.
U.S. Sen Marsha Blackburn took to social media platform X on June 2, writing: “Every Tennessean should be outraged that [Mayor O’Connell] wants tax dollars to fund a pro-illegal alien nonprofit. I urge the Metro Council to reject this. Anti-ICE groups like TIRRC should not receive a dime of Tennesseans’ hard-earned money.”
Blackburn is running to succeed term-limited Gov. Bill Lee, and is currently the clear frontrunner.
A June 2, 2026, X post from U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn
Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton shared Blackburn's initial post on X, saying: “We agree! Metro’s budget request of $735k for TIRRC could be in violation of Tennessee’s no santaury [sic] cities law. The [Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference] and [Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury Jason Mumpower] are watching this very closely.”
“This year the House passed legislation to expose through transparency these groups who violate our state laws,” Sexton wrote. “We look forward to bringing it back next year!”
Tennessee law prohibits cities in the state from adopting sanctuary city policies. A separate law, later rendered unconstitutional, would have made it a felony for local government officials to adopt, implement or vote for sanctuary policies that interfere with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
2025 law would have imposed felony criminal liability and potential prison time on officials who voted for sanctuary policies
In an emailed statement, mayor’s office spokesperson Julie Smith said the funding is not new.
“We've believed for years that helping people maintain or secure legal status is valuable and ensuring that people are on sure legal footing has historically had strong bipartisan support, and Metro has funded these services for years,” Smith’s statement reads. “As with many other legal services (like eviction right-to-counsel or indigent defense) deserving people can't always easily afford the services of an attorney.”
Smith says Nashville will continue to be fully compliant with state and federal laws, including the state’s sanctuary city policy. She says Metro’s Office of Financial Accountability monitors grants to ensure compliance with all laws and regulations.
TIRRC executive director Lisa Sherman Luna says in a statement that Blackburn’s and Sexton’s posts are “politically motivated threats.” She says the Republicans’ statements are “designed to divide us and keep us from doing the important work of building a Tennessee where everyone has the freedom to build a good life for their families.”
“We won’t be deterred in our mission to serve and defend our neighbors and to build a welcoming, thriving Tennessee where our shared values, not the color of our skin or our place of birth, define who belongs,” Luna says.
The rest of TIRRC’s statement reads:
“More than one in ten residents of Nashville were born abroad. These Nashvillans pay taxes, contribute to our local economy, and help our city thrive. They are our neighbors, our friends, our family members, our co-workers, and their fates are intertwined with ours. For those who face challenges navigating a complex and often outdated immigration legal system, we are proud to provide high quality legal services and support. Every day we help individuals who have chosen Nashville as their home pursue citizenship and a stable and dignified future for their families.
"Providing legal services to our neighbors should be celebrated regardless of political agenda. But unfortunately, the groups that provide this support often come under attack because these services are in direct contradiction to a loud, angry minority’s narrow vision of who gets to be a Tennessean.
"Of course, there is nothing unlawful about providing legal representation to Nashvillians who happen to have been born abroad, and the politicians who suggest otherwise should be ashamed of themselves for this transparent stunt. In fact, cities and states across the country invest in providing low cost legal services for immigrants who have a lawful pathway to adjust their status and become citizens because they recognize the return on investment of helping families achieve greater stability.”
