Knox County commissioners are weighing a pair of ordinances that could strip public grant money from nonprofits if those groups are found to be helping people living in the U.S. without authorization. Nonprofit leaders, clergy and immigrant advocates say the proposals would corner food pantries, clinics and shelters into a blunt choice: serve everyone in need, or keep the county funding that helps keep their doors open.
What the ordinances would require
The draft language would add a new section to the county code and require organizations that apply for county grants to submit detailed financial records. It also requires a sworn statement, under penalty of perjury, affirming that “no funds of the organization are used to benefit any person or persons residing in, staying in, or visiting Knox County while in violation of United States immigration laws,” along with documentation that internal practices are in place to prevent such use, as outlined by the Knox County Commission.
Which funds and organizations would be affected
The proposal covers both general-fund contracts and projects paid from the county’s hotel and motel tax. Draft documents note that nonprofit entities received roughly $12,000,000 from the hotel and motel tax and about $1,909,000 from the general fund in the county’s 2026 budget, figures reported by the Tennessee Lookout.
A pause after public pushback
The ordinance was first introduced by Commissioner Angela Russell and later revised by Commissioner Andy Fox to add the immigration-focused sworn statement. After hours of public comment, commissioners opted not to push it through on the spot. Instead, they voted to delay consideration and ordered workshops to fine-tune the text. The Knoxville Focus reported that commissioners approved a six-month postponement to allow more review and community input.
Why nonprofits and faith leaders object
Opponents warned the ordinance would effectively turn charity programs into informal checkpoints and could pressure organizations to stop serving anyone whose documentation is hard to verify. During public testimony, one resident told commissioners, “You are proposing to penalize Knoxvillians for being good,” a line that captured the room’s mood. The Tennessee Lookout reported that speakers also urged commissioners to consider both the operational burden and the moral implications for frontline groups.
Statewide trend and legal risks
The Knox County debate is unfolding as Tennessee lawmakers float bills that critics say could criminalize certain kinds of aid to undocumented people, raising alarms that charities and churches statewide could face new legal exposure. WKMS and other outlets have reported on proposals to expand "harboring" offenses, and advocates warn that a growing patchwork of state and local measures could chill routine social services.
What's next
For now, commissioners have set the ordinances aside while staffers and elected officials hold workshops and solicit input. The county’s next normal grant application cycle for nonprofits is not due until 2028, which gives community groups time to organize and weigh in. The Knoxville Focus noted the delay and encouraged stakeholders to participate in the review process.
Nonprofits that rely on relatively small county grants say they are watching every step and plan to attend public workshops. Supporters of the ordinances counter that tighter oversight of taxpayer dollars is long overdue. For now, the stalled proposal sits at the center of a simmering local fight over immigration, public money and just how far Knox County wants its charities to go in filling gaps in social services.
