House Bill 1482, proposed by State Representative Gabby Salinas of Memphis, would require ICE officials to notify school or church officials before entering their properties and bar the use of state-owned parking lots and garages as staging areas, according to Action News 5 and Local Memphis. The bill also addresses concerns about racial profiling and detaining individuals without due process, citing potential conflicts with Fourth and Fifth Amendment rights.
According to Action News 5 and Local Memphis, Salinas, who came to Memphis from Bolivia as a child, said, “No child or person should fear being abducted or risk having their family ripped apart when they leave their home. We are losing friends, neighbors, caretakers, and community members daily.” She referenced a recent Minneapolis incident in which an ICE agent fatally shot a woman, calling the actions “lawless and dangerous.”
As reported by the Tennessean, the bill is slated to be introduced when the General Assembly reconvenes on January 13. It has drawn criticism from some lawmakers, with House Speaker Cameron Sexton calling it “a terrible idea.”
