The Tennessee General Assembly sent two bills cracking down on diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives to Republican Governor Bill Lee&#8217;s desk on Tuesday as the legislative session came to a close.
One bill would ban publicly funded universities and state and local governments from maintaining DEI offices, while the other bill would prohibit those same entities from making hiring decisions based on race. Both bills passed with overwhelming Republican support.
&#8220;DEI violates the Civil Rights Act of 1964,” Tennessee Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson <a href="https://tnga.granicus.com/player/clip/31993?view_id=775&amp;meta_id=914498&amp;redirect=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> on Tuesday. “We don’t need DEI in our state, Mr. Speaker. We need to hire people and promote people based on their merit. Diversity is a wonderful thing and it will happen. But we’re not going to make diversity the number one objective when we’re trying to serve our constituents and hire good people to take care of our constituents. It will be based on qualifications and merit.”
Johnson was the prime Senate sponsor of both the &#8220;Dismantling DEI Departments Act,&#8221; which <a href="https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/Default.aspx?BillNumber=SB1084" target="_blank" rel="noopener">prohibits</a> DEI offices for publicly funded entities, and the &#8220;Dismantle DEI Act,&#8221; which <a href="https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/Default.aspx?BillNumber=HB0622" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bans</a> public entities from making hiring decisions based on DEI.
“We want to make sure that we are not discriminating when it comes to hiring people at all levels of government in the state of Tennessee. Similarly, we want to make sure that we are not discriminating when it comes to delivering services to our constituents,&#8221; Johnson said from the Senate floor on Tuesday. 
The &#8220;Dismantling DEI Departments Act&#8221; passed the Senate 26-6 and the House 72-25, while the &#8220;Dismantle DEI Act&#8221; passed the Senate 27-6 and the House 73-24.
The Dismantling DEI Department Act would prohibit state government departments or agencies, county governments, city governments, and public universities &#8220;from maintaining or authorizing an office or department that promotes or requires discriminatory preferences in an effort to increase diversity, equity, or inclusion,&#8221; <a href="https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/Default.aspx?BillNumber=SB1084" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to a summary of the bill.
Its companion bill, the &#8220;Dismantling DEI Act,&#8221; would prohibit those same entities from basing hiring decisions on characteristics like race and sex, &#8220;rather than on individual merit, qualifications, veteran status, or lawful eligibility criteria.&#8221;
DEI has been a hot topic in the state in recent weeks, especially at major universities like Vanderbilt University Medical Center, which was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/vanderbilt-hospital-ends-all-dei-programs-after-being-accused-of-cover-up?author=Spencer+Lindquist&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Vanderbilt+Hospital+Ends+All+DEI+Programs+After+Being+Accused+Of+Cover-Up" target="_blank" rel="noopener">accused</a> of &#8220;concealing&#8221; its DEI programs in violation of President Donald Trump&#8217;s executive order for universities that receive federal funding to eliminate DEI programs.
After pressure from Senator Marsha Blackburn, Vanderbilt University Medical Center confirmed that it would be continuing to take steps to get rid of DEI at the university.

Diversity Equity and Inclusion Text on Wood Block

‘Don’t Need DEI In Our State’: Republicans Move To Close Government, University DEI Offices

Bill Lee

Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI)

Donald Trump

Tennessee

Vanderbilt University

A Republican-backed bill allowing Tennessee citizens victimized by illegal aliens to sue non-governmental organizations that provided housing to that illegal alien has been sent to Governor Bill Lee’s desk.
The <a href="https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/Default.aspx?BillNumber=HB0811" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bill</a> was passed by the Tennessee House 70-23 on Wednesday, advancing the bill to the governor’s desk. The legislation would give citizens harmed by an illegal alien a private right of action to sue entities enabling illegal immigration.
“This is a public safety bill in keeping with the Trump administration’s renewed focus on illegal immigration,” Republican Rep. Rusty Grills, who sponsored the legislation, <a href="https://tnga.granicus.com/player/clip/31956?view_id=775&amp;redirect=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> on the House floor. “What we&#8217;re doing with this bill is anyone who is a victim of crime committed by an illegal alien will have a private right of action against any NGO that has assisted an illegal alien with housing in a community.”
Grills noted that housing as defined in the bill would not include homeless shelters or storm shelters, as some Democrat opponents have claimed. It would include long-term housing situations or rental homes.
In the Senate, the bill was sponsored by Republican Sen. Brent Taylor and passed 24-4 earlier this month.
The text of the legislation says that NGOs “may be held liable for a loss, damages, injury, or death resulting from a criminal offense committed by the person who is unlawfully present in the United States while the person is receiving housing services from the charitable organization if the charitable organization&#8217;s conduct in providing housing constitutes negligence, gross negligence, or willful and wanton misconduct.”
Many NGOs have <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/meet-the-ngos-enabling-mass-immigration-under-the-banner-of-religion" target="_blank" rel="noopener">faced scrutiny</a> over their role in facilitating mass migration into the United States and some have been accused of enabling human trafficking.
Tennesseans have not been exempt from the flood of illegal immigrants that occurred under former President Joe Biden. For example, nearly 3,000 illegal aliens <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/new-data-show-how-much-crime-illegal-immigrants-committed-in-red-state?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=New+Data+Show+How+Much+Crime+Illegal+Immigrants+Committed+In+Red+State" target="_blank" rel="noopener">were arrested</a> in Tennessee for crimes ranging from murder to rape during the last three months of 2024.
In one prominent <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/saying-goodbye-is-hard-nashville-restaurant-closes-doors-after-owner-killed-by-illegal-immigrant" target="_blank" rel="noopener">case</a>, local Nashville business owner Matt Carney was killed by an illegal immigrant from Mexico during an attempted robbery at his beloved restaurant.
On Tuesday, the House also sent another <a href="https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/Default.aspx?BillNumber=HB0833" target="_blank" rel="noopener">illegal immigration bill</a> to Lee’s desk in a 75-20 vote. The bill would require law enforcement, with the exception of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, to “report monthly to the department of safety each interaction that the law enforcement agency had with illegal aliens over the previous month.”
Reports need to include “the date of the interaction, the number of illegal aliens encountered, and a description of identification documents, if any, in their possession.”
Another bill, which would allow schools in Tennessee to charge illegal aliens tuition, has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/red-state-senate-passes-bill-allowing-schools-to-stop-giving-illegal-aliens-free-education?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Red+State+Senate+Passes+Bill+Allowing+Schools+To+Stop+Giving+Illegal+Aliens+Free+Education" target="_blank" rel="noopener">passed the Senate</a>, but was placed behind the budget by the House as the session is coming to a close. The bill still could be revived, but it has currently stalled out. Backers of the bill hope to challenge Plyler v. Doe, a Supreme Court decision that forced states to provide education to illegal aliens.

TOPSHOT-MEXICO-HONDURAS-US-MIGRATION

Red State Deals Major Blow To Groups That Facilitate Illegal Immigration

Illegal Immigration

Nashville

Politics

After decades of <a href="https://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/">failing grades</a>, the Department of Education is being scrapped by the Trump administration. Attorney General Pam Bondi charges several suspects with “domestic terrorism” after targeting Tesla, and the Trump IRS is slamming the brakes on major audits as the agency braces for radical change.
It’s Friday, March 21st, and this is the news you need to know to start your day. If you’d rather listen to your news, today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below:
<iframe style="width: 100%; max-width: 660px; overflow: hidden; border-radius: 10px;" src="https://embed.podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/education-department-dismantled-tesla-terrorism-continues/id1576594336?i=1000700243845" height="175" frameborder="0" sandbox="allow-forms allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-storage-access-by-user-activation allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation"></iframe>
<h2>Trump Dismantles the Department of Education</h2>
<div id="attachment_895193" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-895193" class="size-large wp-image-895193" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/US-Department-of-Education-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/US-Department-of-Education-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/US-Department-of-Education-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/US-Department-of-Education-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/US-Department-of-Education-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/US-Department-of-Education-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/US-Department-of-Education-1800x1200.jpg 1800w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/US-Department-of-Education-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />(Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)</div>
Topline: On Thursday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to disband the Department of Education.
At a ceremony at the White House on Thursday, President Trump signed an executive order that will “begin to eliminate” the Department of Education. The department was created by an act of Congress, and dissolving it entirely would require Congressional approval, but in the meantime, the Trump administration will continue to cut the department’s staff, as <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/education-dept-staff-expected-to-be-slashed-by-half-as-trump-mulls-closing-it">nearly half of its employees have already been let go</a> since Trump took office.
&#8220;We are going to be returning education very simply back to the states where it belongs,” Trump said to a crowd of governors, educators, and students from around the country. “This is a very popular thing to do, but much more importantly, it&#8217;s a commonsense thing to do – and it&#8217;s going to work.&#8221;
The Numbers: The Department of Education was founded under the Carter administration in 1979. Republicans have campaigned on abolishing the department for nearly as long as it’s existed – President Reagan pledged to end it in his 1980 campaign but failed to garner enough support from <a href="https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-01-29-mn-13948-story.html">Congressional Democrats</a>, who controlled the House of Representatives for the length of his presidency. From 1979-2017, U.S. spending per pupil (adjusted for inflation) has <a href="https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d19/tables/dt19_236.55.asp">nearly doubled</a>, while <a href="https://www.thebalancemoney.com/the-u-s-is-losing-its-competitive-advantage-3306225">relative standing</a> compared to other nations with respect to education has gone down, and test scores have remained mostly flat.
<div id="attachment_895195" style="width: 970px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-895195" class="size-large wp-image-895195" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/page-1-960x576.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/page-1-960x576.jpg 960w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/page-1-300x180.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/page-1-768x461.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/page-1.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />(Image by NAEP)</div>
“We can spend those dollars so much more efficiently and effectively than the federal government can,” Tennessee Republican Governor Bill Lee told Morning Wire. &#8220;Part of the taxpayer money that Tennesseans send up to D.C., and then they send back to us – if it&#8217;s filtered through a bureaucracy of thousands of employees, it siphons off a large part of that tax money to support that bureaucracy before it comes back to educate our kids.”
At the moment, total abolition of the department seems unlikely – it would require 60 votes in the Senate to overcome a filibuster, and the chamber is currently split 53-47. Democrats remain <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2025/mar/20/donald-trump-executive-order-department-of-education-us-politics-latest-updates-news">fiercely opposed</a> to cuts. But Trump can still use executive authority to strip the department of most of its responsibilities and funding. Many of the department’s most important functions will remain in place but shift to other departments.
After signing the executive order, President Trump assured the public that “Pell Grants, Title 1 funding, and resources for children with disabilities and special needs will be fully preserved and redistributed to various other agencies and departments that will take very good care of them.”
<h2>Suspected Tesla Attackers Charged As Terrorists</h2>
<div id="attachment_895197" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-895197" class="size-large wp-image-895197" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/Tesla-Graffitti-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/Tesla-Graffitti-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/Tesla-Graffitti-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/Tesla-Graffitti-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/Tesla-Graffitti-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/Tesla-Graffitti-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/Tesla-Graffitti-1800x1200.jpg 1800w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/Tesla-Graffitti-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />(Photo by Kena Betancur/Getty Images)</div>
Topline: United States Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that the Department of Justice is charging three suspects with domestic terrorism after a series of attacks on Tesla.
“If you&#8217;re going to touch a Tesla, go to a dealership, do anything, you better watch out, because we&#8217;re coming after you,” Bondi said. “And if you&#8217;re funding this, we&#8217;re coming after you. We&#8217;re going to find out who you are.”
The Allegations: The names of the suspects are not yet public. One suspect allegedly lobbed eight Molotov cocktails at a Tesla retailer in Oregon. Another in Colorado is charged with “attempt[ing] to light Teslas on fire.” A third in Charleston, South Carolina, allegedly spray-painted obscene graffiti about President Trump at a Tesla charging station and set three charging stations on fire.
This violence is especially concerning as it&#8217;s now putting ordinary citizens at risk. On Wednesday, a number of Tesla owners confirmed that their names and home addresses were published on an online map. The site also encouraged protestors to “unleash [their] artistic flair” by vandalizing Tesla vehicles and recommended other “creative expressions of protest.”
Fellow Travelers: Some Democrats and public figures have made light of the violence. On Wednesday night, talk show host Jimmy Kimmel responded to a clip of Elon Musk saying these attacks make no sense by saying, “When you pull out a chainsaw to celebrate firing thousands of people, they get mad.”
Prominent elected Democrats have taken a more active role in supporting the anti-Tesla movement: Former vice presidential candidate and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz recently <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/loudmouth-tim-crows-about-tesla-stock-dropping-minnesota-had-millions-of-shares-in-tesla">celebrated Tesla’s declining stock price</a>, claiming he checks the downward ticker “to give [himself] a little boost during the day.”
Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) <a href="https://x.com/atensnut/status/1902735220589154433">said</a> during a livestream with the protest group Takedown Tesla, “All I want to see happen on my birthday [March 29] is for Elon to be taken down.”
<h2>Changes At The IRS</h2>
<div id="attachment_895199" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-895199" class="size-large wp-image-895199" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/IRS-Forms-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/IRS-Forms-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/IRS-Forms-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/IRS-Forms-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/IRS-Forms-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/IRS-Forms-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/IRS-Forms-1800x1200.jpg 1800w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/IRS-Forms-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />(Photo by masterSergeant via Getty Images)</div>
Topline: It’s been a busy few days for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and not just because it’s tax season. The agency is halting major audits and adjusting to new management.
The IRS is reportedly halting a number of major audits and seems likely to pursue fewer down the line. Now, critics are pointing to this as a huge red flag. They say pausing the audits is leaving billions of dollars on the table and basically means allowing the rich to get away with tax fraud. But remember, the Biden administration had expanded the IRS’ auditing power in a way that left people concerned. Democrats had plans to bring on more than 80,000 new agents who would largely be tasked with <a href="https://www.heritage.org/budget-and-spending/commentary/fact-checking-team-biden-who-those-87000-new-irs-agents-would-audit">auditing</a> people making less than $400,000 a year.
On NBC&#8217;s &#8220;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvrSxTE8GOw">Meet the Press</a>&#8220; last weekend, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent discussed those cuts and shared his vision for the future of the agency. “There were about 15,000 probationary employees that we could have let go. We kept about 7,500, 8,500 because we viewed them as essential to the mission. … I have three priorities for the IRS: collections, privacy, and customer service. And we&#8217;ll see what level is needed to prioritize all those.”
Whistleblower Promotions: On Tuesday, the agency announced that Gary Shapley and Joseph Ziegler had been brought in to the Department of Treasury as senior advisors to Bessent. Those two are the IRS employees who the department says were “wrongfully targeted” after blowing the whistle on Hunter Biden’s tax evasion. For the next year, they will serve as senior advisors to Bessent and then transition back into senior positions at the IRS. In a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-admin-promotes-hunter-biden-whistleblowers-after-they-were-wrongly-punished-by-superiors">statement</a> announcing the moves, Bessent praised them as “veteran civil servants” who will “help further the agency’s focus on collections, modernization, and customer service, so we can deliver a more effective and efficient IRS experience for hardworking American taxpayers.”

President Trump Signs Executive Order To Severely Shrink Department Of Education

Morning Brief: Trump Guts Education Dept, Suspected Tesla Vandals Charged As Terrorists, IRS Shakeup

Department of Education

Internal Revenue Service (IRS)

Scott Bessent

Tesla

The Supreme Court declined to hear a challenge to a Tennessee law that protects children from viewing sexually explicit performances.
The court on Monday denied a petition from Friends of George’s, a Memphis-based theater group, that claimed a law banning sexually explicit performances in front of children violated the First Amendment. In July, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled 2-1 that the law could take effect, overturning a federal judge’s decision to block the law.
“Another big win for Tennessee! Today, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear Friends of George’s v. Mulroy,” Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti said. “Free speech is a sacred American value, but the First Amendment does not require Tennessee to allow sexually explicit performances in front of children,” said AG Skrmetti. “We will continue to defend TN’s law and children.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Another big win for Tennessee! Today, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear Friends of George’s v. Mulroy.
“Free speech is a sacred American value, but the First Amendment does not require Tennessee to allow sexually explicit performances in front of children,” said AG… <a href="https://t.co/Tqiyi3aXwz">pic.twitter.com/Tqiyi3aXwz</a>
— TN Attorney General (@AGTennessee) <a href="https://twitter.com/AGTennessee/status/1894126239918477600?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 24, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Tennessee Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson, who authored the legislation, also celebrated the news from the court.
“This court decision makes it clear that sexually explicit performances belong in spaces for adults, not in front of kids,&#8221; Johnson <a href="https://www.thecentersquare.com/tennessee/article_fd7e722e-f38a-11ef-b6b9-9faac744f0a2.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. &#8220;Just because an event is labeled ‘family-friendly’ doesn’t mean it’s appropriate for children or reflects Tennessee’s values. This law establishes a necessary legal standard, ensuring that what is truly family friendly is clearly defined.&#8221;
The law was passed by the Republican-controlled state legislature in 2023 and signed by GOP Governor Bill Lee. In June of 2023, a federal judge blocked the law from going into effect, saying that it was “unconstitutionally vague and substantially overbroad.”
According to a <a href="https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/Default.aspx?BillNumber=SB0003&amp;ga=113" target="_blank" rel="noopener">summary</a> of the law, it “creates an offense for a person who engages in an adult cabaret performance on public property or in a location where the adult cabaret performance could be viewed by a person who is not an adult.”
The law passed after a series of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/taxpayer-funded-tennessee-performing-arts-center-hosted-all-ages-drag-christmas-show-as-republicans-propose-banning-similar-events" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reports</a> of drag performances across the state that were billed as “family friendly,” but were explicit in content.
The Supreme Court is currently considering another Tennessee law meant to protect children.
In December, the court heard arguments over Tennessee’s law that bans procedures like giving minors puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones, and performing surgeries like removing the breasts of girls who identify as boys. The law was temporarily blocked by a federal judge after it was passed in 2023 before the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals allowed the law to take effect.
After oral arguments on the case in December, the Supreme Court <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/supreme-court-appears-poised-to-uphold-tennessee-law-protecting-kids-from-trans-procedures" target="_blank" rel="noopener">appears poised</a> to rule in Tennessee’s favor. Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Brett Kavanaugh, John Roberts, and Amy Coney Barrett all seemed skeptical of the claims made by the ACLU and the previous Biden administration.

Multiple Storms Dump Snow From Midwest To East Coast This Week

Supreme Court Won’t Hear Challenge To Tennessee Law Protecting Kids From Explicit Performances

Drag show

General

Memphis

Supreme Court

U.S.

Nearly 3,000 illegal immigrants were arrested in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/tennessee" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tennessee</a> for crimes ranging from murder to rape during the last three months of 2024, according to a report compiled by the state’s district attorneys.
The <a href="https://www.tndagc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/PC998-Immigration-Report-2025-FINAL.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> released last week by the Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference found that around 2,719 illegal immigrants from over 92 different countries were arrested from October to December 2024. Sent to GOP Governor Bill Lee and House Speaker Cameron Sexton, the report sheds light on how the border crisis has led to increased crime in the Volunteer State.
Compiled as a result of a new state law requiring law enforcement to report on the arrests of illegal immigrants, the report found that 447 of the estimated total 3,854 charges were violent offenses. The data only included 73 counties since the other 22 did not submit their statistics.
There were a total of 11 homicides reported across the state, including three cases of first degree murder, one case of second degree murder, and seven instances of vehicular homicide.
Other violent offenses reported include rape of a child (3), aggravated rape (6), continuous sexual abuse of a child (2), aggravated kidnapping (3), especially aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor (1), statutory rape (9), aggravated sexual battery (6), aggravated robbery (6), aggravated domestic assault (27), sexual exploitation of a minor (8), robbery (2), and assault on a law enforcement officer (4).
The most common offenses illegal immigrants were arrested on were driving under the influence (654), driving without a license 549, traffic violations (533), domestic assault (154), public intoxication (147), failure to appear (150), probation violation (91), open container (83), and aggravated assault (80).
<div id="attachment_872131" style="width: 1949px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-872131" class="size-full wp-image-872131" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/02/Screen-Shot-2025-02-05-at-2.36.24-PM.png" alt="" width="1939" height="872" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/02/Screen-Shot-2025-02-05-at-2.36.24-PM.png 1939w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/02/Screen-Shot-2025-02-05-at-2.36.24-PM-300x135.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/02/Screen-Shot-2025-02-05-at-2.36.24-PM-1024x461.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/02/Screen-Shot-2025-02-05-at-2.36.24-PM-768x345.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/02/Screen-Shot-2025-02-05-at-2.36.24-PM-1536x691.png 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1939px) 100vw, 1939px" />TN District Attorneys report.</div>
Results of the charges were reported as a mixed bag with 136 cases still open, 37 dropped by prosecutors, 85 cases dismissed, 128 found guilty, and 198 with no record indicating the outcome.
Most of the arrests were made in the cities of Nashville, Knoxville, and Chattanooga, and the counties surrounding those cities. Surprisingly, Shelby County, home to Memphis, reported just 59 arrests of illegal immigrants.
The greatest number of illegal immigrants came from Mexico (892), though a significant number came from Guatemala (564), Honduras (332), Venezuela (130), and El Salvador (86).
Over the past few years, illegal immigrants have been arrested in Tennessee for a number of high-profile crimes, including the murder of popular Nashville restaurant owner Matt Carney. Carney died from injuries after police say an illegal immigrant struck him with his truck in the parking lot of his restaurant. Carney’s death <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-decries-vicious-illegal-immigrant-suspected-of-murdering-nashville-restaurant-owner" target="_blank" rel="noopener">drew the attention</a> of then-candidate Donald Trump, who has warned of an illegal immigrant crime wave stemming from lax border policies implemented by the Biden administration.
Last week, Tennessee <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tennessee-passes-bill-to-assist-trumps-illegal-immigration-crackdown" target="_blank" rel="noopener">passed</a> sweeping legislation during a special session intended to help carry out Trump’s mass deportation plans.

Federal Agents Target Immigrant Gangs On Long Island

New Data Show How Much Crime Illegal Immigrants Committed In Red State

Illegal Immigation

Violent Crime

During a legislative special session on Thursday, the Tennessee Senate passed the <a href="https://tneducationfreedom.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Education Freedom Act of 2025</a> by a vote of <a href="https://www.wbir.com/article/news/education/tennessee-senate-on-universal-school-voucher-program-propsal/51-a16d86f9-3499-41d8-9a7b-f2f06a9bc4a3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">20 to 13</a>. The bill had passed the House <a href="https://www.wbir.com/article/news/local/tennessee-house-passes-amended-universal-school-voucher-bill/51-10d2cbf2-c8bc-4dae-a1f0-cca50d5ab8bc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">54 to 44</a> earlier in the day. It now heads to the governor’s desk for his signature. With the stroke of Gov. Bill Lee’s pen, Tennessee will become the 13th state in the nation to enact universal (or near-universal) school choice.
While it’s not official yet, there is no question regarding whether Gov. Lee will sign the bill into law. He has been an enthusiastic education freedom champion and called the Tennessee General Assembly for a <a href="https://www.tn.gov/governor/news/2025/1/15/gov--lee-announces-special-session-to-begin-january-27.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">special session</a> with the purpose of passing the Education Freedom Act. Last month, Gov. Lee <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GmEmon6DcE" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>, “When it comes to education, more freedom is what our children need to succeed. That means empowering parents with school choice…. that’s why we need to pass the Education Freedom Act in Tennessee.”
<a href="https://tneducationfreedom.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">According to Gov. Lee</a>, “Education has the power to change the trajectory of a child’s life, and every Tennessee child deserves to attend the school that fits their unique needs — regardless of income or zip code.”
The Tennessee Education Freedom website <a href="https://tneducationfreedom.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">explains</a>, “The Education Freedom Act will extend school choice to every family across rural and urban Tennessee, putting parents at the forefront of their child’s education so that students find the best school for their needs to succeed in the classroom and beyond.”
The education scholarship amount will <a href="https://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Bill/HB0001.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">equal the state base funding</a> amount per student, which is around $7,000. The <a href="https://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Bill/HB0001.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">funds can be used toward</a> private school tuition and fees. If funds remain, they can be allocated toward required school textbooks, curricula, instructional materials, uniforms, tutoring services, school transportation fees, educational technology, test fees, early postsecondary courses, and educational therapies for qualifying students. Under this act, students must be enrolled in a private school to participate.
The universal school choice program will be implemented in two steps. During the <a href="https://tneducationfreedom.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2025-2026 school year</a>, 20,000 scholarships will be available for students, with half of those directed toward students from households at or below 300% of the income for free or reduced-price lunch, students with a disability, or those already eligible for an existing Tennessee education savings account program. All students statewide are eligible to participate starting in the <a href="https://tneducationfreedom.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2026-2027 school year</a>.
Beyond the private school scholarships, the Education Freedom Act also includes a <a href="https://tneducationfreedom.com/#list-with-large-icons-6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">$2,000 bonus</a> for all 86,000 public school teachers in the state.
Despite cries from the opposition, the school choice program will not harm public school finances. According to Representative William Lamberth (R-Portland) on the House floor on Thursday, Tennessee will continue to spend <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=woqswb_O7p8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">$7 billion annually</a> on K-12 public education.
Thanks to Gov. Lee’s steadfast commitment to education freedom for Tennesseans, the parents of <a href="https://www.tn.gov/education/about-the-tdoe.html#:~:text=The%20Tennessee%20Department%20of%20Education%20serves%20over,to%20provide%20the%20best%20for%20all%20students." target="_blank" rel="noopener">more than 900,000 K-12 public school children</a> and <a href="https://www.privateschoolreview.com/tennessee" target="_blank" rel="noopener">over 115,000 private school students</a> will soon be empowered with school choice.
Tennessee will join the universal school choice ranks with Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Utah, and West Virginia.
Now, eyes turn to Texas as well as Georgia, Idaho, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, South Carolina, South Dakota, and Wyoming. With a <a href="https://ballotpedia.org/State_government_trifectas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Republican trifecta</a> in each of these states, it’s time for their lawmakers to advance universal education freedom. 
As education freedom states reap the far-reaching academic, workforce development, economic, and societal benefits of a free market K-12 education environment, other states will be forced to take notice. Lawmakers in those states will have to decide if they will double down with the teacher unions in trapping children in failing schools — to the detriment of their state’s future — or empower the parents. By advancing laws that allow education funding to follow students, lawmakers will support parents and the general public, who, <a href="https://www.edchoice.org/engage/support-for-school-choice-policies-remains-high/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">by majority, support school choice</a>.
With each state to pass universal school choice, the tide is turning toward a better and brighter future for America because nothing will impact the future of our country more than the education of the next generation.
So, which state will be number 14? Republican governors, it’s time to rally your lawmakers toward education freedom victory.
* * *
Dr. Keri D. Ingraham is a Senior Fellow at Discovery Institute, Director of the American Center for Transforming Education, and a Senior Fellow at Independent Women’s Forum.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

US-REPUBLICAN-CONVENTION-PARTIES-ELECTION-POLITICS-VOTE

With Gov. Lee’s Signature, Tennessee Will Become 13th State To Enact Universal School Choice

Charter Schools

Education

Opinion

Private Schools

Public Schools

School Choice

The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/tennessee" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tennessee</a> General Assembly passed sweeping legislation on Thursday creating a new state-level immigration position to help coordinate President Donald Trump’s crackdown. 
The legislation was passed during a special session called by Republican Governor Bill Lee to address illegal immigration, hurricane relief, and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tennessee-passes-school-choice-milestone-in-advancing-education" target="_blank" rel="noopener">school choice</a>. In addition to establishing a state immigration enforcement officer, the legislation will also tighten state identification laws and penalize local authorities who back sanctuary city policies. 
“This week, in partnership with the General Assembly, Tennessee passed meaningful legislation to address three pressing issues that President Trump and Tennesseans overwhelmingly support – the Education Freedom Act, additional disaster relief for East Tennesseans, and measures to halt illegal immigration,” Lee <a href="https://www.tn.gov/governor/news/2025/1/30/gov--lee-marks-the-close-of-special-legislative-session--passes-full-agenda.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. 
The immigration package easily passed the House 72-22 and the Senate 26-7 despite protests from leftist activists.  
Backed by Lee and Republican leadership, the legislation will create the Centralized Immigration Enforcement Division under the state’s current Department of Safety. This division will include a chief immigration enforcement officer appointed by the governor to coordinate directly with the Trump administration in implementing federal immigration laws. The officer would also ensure that state and local officials comply with federal immigration laws.
One aspect of the bill creates a felony offense for an official who votes to implement a sanctuary city policy and create a pathway for citizens to challenge lax immigration policies put in place by local officials. There are currently no sanctuary cities in the state, but there have been some complaints that some local jurisdictions, such as Memphis, do not cooperate with federal immigration authorities.
“From this day forward let it go forth, do not set up sanctuary cities in our state. We are not a sanctuary to illegal immigrants from across the world that try to come to this state,” House Majority Leader William Lamberth <a href="https://tennesseelookout.com/2025/01/30/tennessee-house-passes-immigration-enforcement-bill-aclu-plans-legal-challenge/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> during a debate on the measure. 
Additionally, the bill stipulates that state-issued IDs will only be available to U.S. citizens and permanent residents. Individuals with federal authorization to be in the country for a specified period or a non-citizen would have a temporary driver license with a distinctive mark.
Lee is expected to sign the bill into law, and the leftist American Civil Liberties Union plans to challenge it. 
Tennessee’s special session <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tennessee-to-look-at-implementing-trumps-immigration-agenda-in-special-session" target="_blank" rel="noopener">followed a call</a> from Trump for governors to follow the lead of Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis, who first ordered the Sunshine State&#8217;s legislature to consider legislation to assist federal authorities with illegal immigration. It also came as a Nashville-area school board <a href="https://defendinged.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Rutherford-Border-Policy.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">urged the state</a> “to expedite the closure of our nation’s borders” due to an increasing strain on public education.

ICE raids – New York, NY

Tennessee Passes Bill To Assist Trump’s Illegal Immigration Crackdown

Immigration

The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/tennessee" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tennessee</a> legislature approved a school choice bill on Thursday, sending the long-sought legislation to Governor Bill Lee’s desk to be signed into law.
The bill, the Education Freedom Act, is a key victory for the governor after efforts to pass the legislation last year fell short. The state General Assembly passed the bill in a 54 to 44 vote on Thursday, a day after the Senate approved it 20 to 13, according to <a href="https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/politics/2025/01/30/tennessee-school-vouchers-republicans-pass-447m-program/78051836007/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Tennessean</a>.
“I&#8217;ve long believed we can have the best public schools &amp; give parents a choice in their child&#8217;s education, regardless of income or zip code. Today is a milestone in advancing education in TN,” Lee said in a statement.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
TN just passed the Education Freedom Act to deliver Universal School Choice!
I&#39;ve long believed we can have the best public schools &amp; give parents a choice in their child&#39;s education, regardless of income or zip code.
Today is a milestone in advancing education in TN. <a href="https://t.co/HiwWbxr9od">pic.twitter.com/HiwWbxr9od</a>
&mdash; Gov. Bill Lee (@GovBillLee) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovBillLee/status/1885080591181222042?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 30, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The bill will have limited impact at first and ramp up in later years. For the 2025-2026 school year under the bill, the state will <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/is-this-the-year-tennessee-wins-on-school-choice" target="_blank" rel="noopener">offer</a> 20,000 scholarships of about $7,300 each. Parents can apply for the scholarship and use the funds toward tuition, books, and other education-related expenses. Half of the scholarships will have an income requirement to be eligible.
The program will grow by 5,000 additional scholarships offered in the 2026-2027 school year. Both public and private school attendees are eligible to apply.
“It is estimated that 7,000 … scholarships will be awarded to public school students and 13,000 will be awarded to private school students in FY25-26. It is assumed that scholarships will continue to be awarded on a 65/35 basis in FY26-27 and subsequent years,” the legislature projected in an <a href="https://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Fiscal/FM0013.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">analysis</a> of the bill.
The bill also promises that school districts will not see a drop in state funding even if they see a drop in students next year. The legislation also approves a one-time bonus to teachers of $2,000.
On Tuesday, President Donald Trump publicly backed the push for school choice in Tennessee.
“We will very soon be sending Education BACK TO THE STATES, where it belongs. It is our goal to bring Education in the United States to the highest level, one that it has never attained before. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” the president <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/113907637484810162" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posted</a> on Truth Social.
The bill received some bipartisan pushback, but the GOP supermajority in the Tennessee legislature overcame the criticism. The final vote on the legislation in the General Assembly came after over four hours of debate.

Tennessee Passes School Choice: ‘Milestone In Advancing Education’

Tennessee Governor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/bill-lee" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bill Lee</a> revealed Wednesday plans to help President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/donald-trump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Donald Trump</a> implement his crackdown on illegal immigration in the Volunteer State.
Lee said that he will back legislation at an upcoming special session of the General Assembly to penalize local authorities who defy federal immigration officials, tighten state-issued ID laws, and create a new state position to aid immigration enforcement. Last week, Lee called a special session to address illegal immigration, hurricane disaster aid, and a school choice proposal backed by the governor.
“Tennessee has a long track record of stepping up to secure our Nation’s borders and strengthening public safety,” Lee said. “President Trump has made it clear that states will play a major role in partnering with his Administration to enforce immigration laws and keep communities safe, and Tennessee is heeding the call.”
The proposed legislation backed by Lee and Republican leadership in the Senate and House would create the Centralized Immigration Enforcement Division under the state’s current Department of Safety. This division would create a chief immigration enforcement officer appointed by the governor to coordinate directly with the Trump administration in implementing federal immigration laws, according to a <a href="https://www.tn.gov/governor/news/2025/1/22/gov--lee--legislative-leadership-present-agenda-on-illegal-immigration-ahead-of-special-session.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news release</a> from the governor.
Another aspect of the legislation would include tightening up state identification laws. State-issued IDs would be available only to citizens, permanent residents, and individuals with federal authorization for a specified period. Any ID issued to a non-citizen would have a distinctive mark, and proof of citizenship would be required for renewing or reinstating a driver’s license.
The legislation would also create a felony offense for local officials who chose to enact sanctuary city policies and would allow the state attorney general to pursue removal proceedings for officials convicted of instituting sanctuary city laws.
While there are no official sanctuary cities in Tennessee, Democrat-run cities like Memphis have been accused of limiting cooperation with ICE and looking the other way on illegal immigration.
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?_gl=1*1lail3r*_gcl_aw*R0NMLjE3MzIyMDEyNDkuQ2owS0NRaUEwZnU1QmhEUUFSSXNBTVhVQk9JSkM0VnNsMFVreURxYXUxVWVEVWdOdjZkNzR2Y1pEeEZQeHVBcGl2R3BLaTdBMjVzT1p5TWFBdG1nRUFMd193Y0I.*_gcl_au*NDUxNDQ0NzYwLjE3MzY3ODI2NDY.*_ga*MTc2NzM0NDQ2NS4xNzI4OTA5Nzkx*_ga_CZKR9ZYKJP*MTczNjk1NzYwMy4zNDAuMS4xNzM2OTU3NzE2LjYwLjAuMA.." target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?_gl%3D1*1lail3r*_gcl_aw*R0NMLjE3MzIyMDEyNDkuQ2owS0NRaUEwZnU1QmhEUUFSSXNBTVhVQk9JSkM0VnNsMFVreURxYXUxVWVEVWdOdjZkNzR2Y1pEeEZQeHVBcGl2R3BLaTdBMjVzT1p5TWFBdG1nRUFMd193Y0I.*_gcl_au*NDUxNDQ0NzYwLjE3MzY3ODI2NDY.*_ga*MTc2NzM0NDQ2NS4xNzI4OTA5Nzkx*_ga_CZKR9ZYKJP*MTczNjk1NzYwMy4zNDAuMS4xNzM2OTU3NzE2LjYwLjAuMA..&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1737044212122000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3mp2MZNwEXBk00lKmCtOss">CELEBRATE #47 WITH 47% OFF DAILYWIRE+ MEMBERSHIPS + A FREE $20 GIFT</a>
The legislation would also look to create a grant program to assist in training and equipment for local law enforcement to assist federal and state immigration policies.
“With this legislation, Tennessee continues to lead the nation in fighting illegal immigration,” said Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson (R-Franklin). “I look forward to working with my colleagues and the Trump administration to uphold the rule of law and protect state sovereignty.”

2024 Republican National Convention: Day 2

Tennessee Governor Unveils Plan To Aid Trump’s Illegal Immigration Crackdown

Tennessee&#8217;s Republican Senator <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/marsha-blackburn" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Marsha Blackburn</a>, who was just reelected by nearly 30 points in November, is considering a run for Tennessee governor.
Citing sources in Washington, D.C., and Tennessee, Axios <a href="https://www.axios.com/2025/01/14/marsha-blackburn-tennessee-governor-2026-election" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reports</a> that Blackburn was making calls saying she was likely to enter the 2026 gubernatorial race to replace term-limited Governor Bill Lee. Blackburn, a conservative senator and strong ally of President-elect Donald Trump, has been in the Senate since 2019. 
Neither Blackburn nor her campaign has publicly confirmed that she will enter the race, but some Republicans have already come out to announce their support for her. 
“Senator Blackburn has done an outstanding job as a state senator, U.S. congresswoman, and U.S. Senator,” said Glenn Jacobs, the former WWE wrestler-turned-politician, posted on X. “She would do an equally outstanding job as Governor and would have my full support if that’s what she decides.”
His name had been floated in Republican circles in the state as another potential gubernatorial candidate, but his endorsement of Blackburn signals that he wouldn&#8217;t enter the race should Blackburn declare.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Great to see <a href="https://twitter.com/VoteMarsha?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VoteMarsha</a> at tonight’s TN Chamber event. Senator Blackburn has done an outstanding job as a state senator, U.S. congresswoman, and U.S. Senator. She would do an equally outstanding job as Governor and would have my full support if that’s what she decides. <a href="https://t.co/II52SK5D6i">pic.twitter.com/II52SK5D6i</a>
— Glenn Jacobs (@GlennJacobsTN) <a href="https://twitter.com/GlennJacobsTN/status/1879323364281753767?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 15, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Blackburn, previously a state legislator and congresswoman, was first elected to the Senate in 2018, defeating former Democratic Governor Phil Bredesen 54.7%-43.9%. In 2024, she built on her margin of victory, handily defeating Democratic challenger Gloria Johnson 63.8%-34.2%. 
“This victory tonight really does belong to the people of Tennessee because they’re the ones we’ve listened to, they’re the ones that have shown up at meetings all across this state in each of our 95 counties, and the people of Tennessee have spoken,” Blackburn said on Election Day after her sweeping win. 
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?_gl=1*1lail3r*_gcl_aw*R0NMLjE3MzIyMDEyNDkuQ2owS0NRaUEwZnU1QmhEUUFSSXNBTVhVQk9JSkM0VnNsMFVreURxYXUxVWVEVWdOdjZkNzR2Y1pEeEZQeHVBcGl2R3BLaTdBMjVzT1p5TWFBdG1nRUFMd193Y0I.*_gcl_au*NDUxNDQ0NzYwLjE3MzY3ODI2NDY.*_ga*MTc2NzM0NDQ2NS4xNzI4OTA5Nzkx*_ga_CZKR9ZYKJP*MTczNjk1NzYwMy4zNDAuMS4xNzM2OTU3NzE2LjYwLjAuMA.." target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?_gl%3D1*1lail3r*_gcl_aw*R0NMLjE3MzIyMDEyNDkuQ2owS0NRaUEwZnU1QmhEUUFSSXNBTVhVQk9JSkM0VnNsMFVreURxYXUxVWVEVWdOdjZkNzR2Y1pEeEZQeHVBcGl2R3BLaTdBMjVzT1p5TWFBdG1nRUFMd193Y0I.*_gcl_au*NDUxNDQ0NzYwLjE3MzY3ODI2NDY.*_ga*MTc2NzM0NDQ2NS4xNzI4OTA5Nzkx*_ga_CZKR9ZYKJP*MTczNjk1NzYwMy4zNDAuMS4xNzM2OTU3NzE2LjYwLjAuMA..&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1737044212122000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3mp2MZNwEXBk00lKmCtOss">CELEBRATE #47 WITH 47% OFF DAILYWIRE+ MEMBERSHIPS + A FREE $20 GIFT</a>
Blackburn said she had been given a &#8220;to-do&#8221; list by the people of Tennessee.
“Here’s your to-do list that we’ve heard from you: Bring back a strong economy and get rid of this inflation. And make the Trump tax cuts permanent,” Blackburn said. “Secure that southern border and absolutely build the wall.” 
During her time in the Senate, Blackburn has backed measures to crack down on illegal immigration, oppose transgender ideology, keep men out of women&#8217;s sports, and push for tech companies to ensure more safety online for kids. 
Blackburn has also won public support from prominent Tennessee conservatives, including Daily Wire CEO Jeremy Boreing and commentator Clay Travis.
&#8220;I am an enormous fan of my governor Bill Lee. I am also an enormous fan of my senator Marsha Blackburn,&#8221; Boreing wrote on X. &#8220;That likely means I am an enormous fan of my next governor as well.&#8221;
&#8220;She’s been a fabulous senator and Marsha Blackburn will make a great Tennessee governor too,&#8221; said Travis. &#8220;She’s got my vote next year.&#8221;
Other potential Republican candidates for governor might include Reps. John Rose and Mark Green, State House Speaker Cameron Sexton, and Secretary of State Tre Hargett.

Senate Republicans Hold Capitol Hill Press Conference On Border Security

Marsha Blackburn Considering Run For Tennessee Governor

Elections

Marsha Blackburn

U.S. Politics

Tennessee Governor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/bill-lee" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bill Lee</a> announced Wednesday that he would convene a special session of the state’s General Assembly to consider public safety and immigration legislation to prepare the state for the incoming Trump administration. 
The announcement did not say what specific immigration legislation would be considered, but noted that “the incoming Trump Administration has called on states to prepare for policy implementation.” The special session will also focus on a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/is-this-the-year-tennessee-wins-on-school-choice" target="_blank" rel="noopener">school choice</a> proposal backed by Lee, and Hurricane Helene disaster relief. 
“The Tennessee General Assembly will consider public safety measures related to immigration to ensure the state is prepared for federal policy implementation,” the governor’s office said in a statement. “Last year, Gov. Lee directed key state agencies to begin making preparations and stand ready on Day One of the Trump Administration to support efforts to secure our Nation’s borders and keep communities safe.”
Lee’s call comes after Governor Ron DeSantis said Monday that Florida would have a special session to ready the state to implement Trump&#8217;s planned crackdown on illegal immigration. Following the announcement, Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-praises-desantis-for-leading-on-his-agenda-urges-other-governors-to-follow" target="_blank" rel="noopener">praised</a> DeSantis, saying that “hopefully other Governors will follow!”
In a joint statement, Lee, Lt. Gov. Randy McNally, House Speaker Cameron Sexton, Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson, and House Majority Leader William Lamberth said that they would focus on making sure the state had the resources to aid Trump. 
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?_gl=1*13bkjyl*_gcl_aw*R0NMLjE3MzIyMDEyNDkuQ2owS0NRaUEwZnU1QmhEUUFSSXNBTVhVQk9JSkM0VnNsMFVreURxYXUxVWVEVWdOdjZkNzR2Y1pEeEZQeHVBcGl2R3BLaTdBMjVzT1p5TWFBdG1nRUFMd193Y0I.*_gcl_au*NDUxNDQ0NzYwLjE3MzY3ODI2NDY.*_ga*MTc2NzM0NDQ2NS4xNzI4OTA5Nzkx*_ga_CZKR9ZYKJP*MTczNjk1NzYwMy4zNDAuMS4xNzM2OTU4MTcxLjU3LjAuMA.." target="_blank" rel="noopener">CELEBRATE #47 WITH 47% OFF DAILYWIRE+ MEMBERSHIPS + A FREE $20 GIFT</a> 

“Finally, the American people elected President Trump with a mandate to enforce immigration laws and protect our communities, and Tennessee must have the resources ready to support the Administration on Day One,” they said. 
Trump’s plans reportedly include building the border wall, constructing facilities to hold migrants, imposing new asylum restrictions, reimplementing Title 42, and authorizing local law enforcement and state law enforcement to assist ICE.
Tennessee lawmakers will also consider the “Education Freedom Scholarship Act,” which would create 20,000 scholarships of around $7,000 that can be used for tuition at private schools. The legislation was introduced by Johnson in the Senate and Lamberth in the House. 
Lee also asked the legislature to add $240 million in funding to the state’s Disaster Relief Grant fund, create a $110 million Hurricane Helene Interest fund, fund $100 million for Governor’s Response and Recovery Fund, and allocate $20 million to rebuild a Tennessee destroyed by the hurricane.
&#8220;In this special session, we will ensure the state is best positioned to coordinate with federal, state, and local law enforcement to implement the Trump Administration&#8217;s plan to enforce the federal immigration laws on the books,&#8221; said Lee spokeswoman Elizabeth Johnson. &#8220;President Trump has made it clear that states will play a major role in partnering with his Administration to make our communities safer. Tennessee is heeding the call.&#8221;

Border Security Remains Key Issue In Presidential Campaigns

Tennessee To Look At Implementing Trump’s Immigration Agenda In Special Session

Florida

Ron DeSantis

2024 was supposed to be the year that <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/tennessee" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tennessee</a> enacted <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/school-choice">school choice</a> with Republicans in full control of the legislature and governor’s office. But it fell short. 
Nearly everyone publicly supported school choice in principle, but the Senate and House came into the last legislative session with dramatically different school choice bills. They never came to a consensus on the bill’s final language, and the clock ran out. As lawmakers gather on Tuesday for the start of this year’s session, they have renewed optimism based on lessons learned. 
In November, Republican leadership in the House and Senate introduced <a href="https://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Bill/SB0001.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">identical legislation</a>, known as the “Education Freedom Scholarship Act,” backed by Republican Governor Bill Lee that will create 20,000 scholarships of around $7,000 that can be used for tuition at private schools. 
In an interview on school choice with The Daily Wire, Lee said he thinks the proposal should be an easy sell to Tennesseeans across the state.
“The fundamental idea that every child is different and every parent ought to have the best option for their kid. It transcends zip codes and economics, it ought to be for every family, it ought to be for every parent, it ought to be universal,” Lee told The Daily Wire. 
Both Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson, who represents an area with some of the best public schools in the state, and House Education Chair Rep. Mark White, who represents an area with some of the worst, told The Daily Wire that they were in support of school choice policies. 
&#8220;Nobody would be happy if you lived in a neighborhood where you only had one grocery store to go to or one shopping center,” White said. “We go to other grocery stores or other businesses because there’s competition which gives us better prices and better performance and better customer service.” 
Johnson said that there was broad support among his colleagues to increase options for parents, adding that he was “cautiously optimistic” that the General Assembly would get the school choice legislation passed this session. He said that there had been productive conversations with both the House and governor’s office. 
“I think that the stage is set for us to get something passed. That’s not a promise, but it is the way I see the landscape right now,” Johnson said. 
White said that the proposal from Lamberth and Johnson could be subject to change as the session begins. He said that lawmakers were currently giving their feedback on the proposed legislation. He added that the legislature hoped to take up the issue first and said they would then vote it up or down based on its merits. 
The specific <a href="https://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Bill/SB0001.pdf">proposal</a> would create 20,000 scholarships for the 2025-2026 school year worth an estimated $7,295 that parents could apply for and use for things like tuition at private schools and textbooks. Half of the scholarships would be reserved for students in households with annual incomes of less than 300% of the amount needed to qualify for free or reduced lunch. The second 10,000 would be universally open. 
If implemented, the program would create scholarship opportunities for about 2% of Tennessee&#8217;s one million school-aged children. 
In the second year, an additional 5,000 scholarships could be made available if 75% of the available scholarships are taken the previous year. In this year, the scholarships are prioritized based on current recipients and income levels if there is more demand than supply. 
The scholarships could be used at any accredited school in Tennessee. A student unable to prove legal residency in the state would be denied use of the scholarship.  
Scholarship recipients would have to be administered a nationally standardized achievement test or the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program. Lee said that all schools that would be participating in the program were already giving these kinds of tests. 
Additionally, the legislation would also stipulate that 80% of the revenue collected by the state from sports gambling would go toward the “maintenance and construction” of public school buildings and give all current public school teachers a one-time $2,000 bonus. 
The proposal is already causing debate in Tennessee
Polling conducted by the Beacon Center of Tennessee <a href="https://www.beacontn.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Crosstabs-Party-Voting-History-January-2025.pdf">indicates</a> that 67% of registered voters in the state support expanding Tennessee&#8217;s current school choice program. The poll surveyed 540 Republicans, 288 Democrats, and 372 independent voters. 
Conservative groups like the Club for Growth have already <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/conservative-org-launches-push-to-get-school-choice-across-finish-line-in-tennessee">announced</a> plans to support the initiative while organizations like Public School Strong TN are <a href="https://www.wkrn.com/news/tennessee-news/opposition-lee-school-voucher-town-hall/">calling</a> the legislation a “scam.” 
Provisions have been added to counter concerns that the legislation would bring ruin to public schools.
One guarantees that public schools would not lose state funding based on disenrollment from their schools. Johnson said he did not foresee a “mass exodus” from any public school, but said he didn’t oppose the provision if it would reassure local school districts. 
White told The Daily Wire he had questions about that particular provision and said he wanted “more clarity” on it himself.  
”We need to look at that carefully because if you’re losing a student it may be because of choice and no fault of the school system that they’re coming from,” he said. “But also I don’t want to falsely prop up a failing school or a failing system by continuing to give them money if they are losing students for the wrong reason. That is something that I have questions about as we go back into session.” 
<a class="c-link" href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/" data-sk="tooltip_parent">JOIN THE MOVEMENT IN ’25 WITH 25% OFF DAILYWIRE+ ANNUAL MEMBERSHIPS WITH CODE DW25</a>
When asked by The Daily Wire about that provision, Lee said it’s highly unlikely any school would be losing students given the population increase in nearly every county in the state.
“For all future students that are coming here, the public school and the private schools will be competing for those students,” Lee said. “They will be competing for future funding. They’re not going to lose funding as they move forward now, but they certainly will compete for future students. That is what makes schools better,” Lee said.
The governor pushed back on a <a href="https://fox17.com/news/crisis-in-the-classroom/governor-lee-says-voucher-pilot-program-students-doing-better-than-peers-data-shows-different" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recent article</a> highlighting data showing that students on the pilot program in Davidson, Shelby, and Hamilton counties were less proficient in math and English compared to the rest of the state. 
Lee said it was not fair to compare low-income inner-city students coming out of failing schools with high-income suburban students across the state. He pointed out that in Shelby County — home to Memphis — students who attended private schools on scholarships had a <a href="https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/education/esa/2023-24_ESA%20Annual%20Report.pdf">higher proficiency </a>rate in English than their public school counterparts, and were tied in math. 
<a class="c-link" href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/" data-sk="tooltip_parent">JOIN THE MOVEMENT IN ’25 WITH 25% OFF DAILYWIRE+ ANNUAL MEMBERSHIPS WITH CODE DW25</a>
Others have raised concerns about the potential for encroachment on private schools if they participate in the program. Johnson said he did not believe that this was a valid concern, saying that the General Assembly would not use it as a “backdoor” mechanism to start regulating private schools.
“The last thing we want to do is go out and start turning these private schools and making them run the same way we run our public schools, that would certainly defeat the purpose,” he said. 
Lee pointed to a provision on school autonomy. 
“The creation of the education freedom scholarship program does not expand the regulatory authority of this state, the officers of this state, or the authority of any [local education agency] to impose any additional rules, regulations, or requirements on private schools that enroll recipients beyond the rules narrowly tailored to enforce the requirements of the program,” the legislation says. 
Lee says the highest priority should be maximizing student achievement and parental satisfaction, not protecting the public system that is letting some kids down.
“We have to do something to challenge the status quo, we have to do something to provide a better opportunity for our children,” Lee said.
With the legislature meeting today, there has been talk that a special session may be convened to ensure the focus is on passing this legislation. While Republicans seem more unified than last year, the ghosts of last year’s failure have the bill’s backers insistent that it’s the first item on this session’s agenda.

EPA Administrator Regan Visits Florida To Highlight Funding For New Clean School Buses

Is This The Year Tennessee Wins On School Choice?

Menu