THP immigration enforcement bill halted by Senate debate

Tennessean.com
May 10, 2006

A proposal to give the Tennessee Highway Patrol the option of having troopers trained to enforce immigration laws was delayed in the Senate today after an attempt to make the measure mandatory.

Senate Transportation Chairman Mark Norris said he wants to amend the bill to require the THP to seek immigration training from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security by July 2007.

Sen. Joe Haynes, the bill's main sponsor, responded that he only wants his bill to be "permissive."

"It does not need to be done in a deadline situation," said Haynes, D-Nashville.

But Norris, a Collierville Republican, said the Department of Safety, which oversees the Highway Patrol, already has the right to seek additional training.

"It doesn't do anything for us to say the Highway Patrol may enter into an agreement," Norris said. "We already have that."

Norris had sponsored an earlier bill to make the THP enforce immigration laws. The measure passed in the Senate, but "it died a painful death in the House, as so many of our bills do these days," he said.

Haynes threatened to withdraw the bill if the Senate voted to add Norris' amendment.

"I think we're better off to have part of the pie than none of the pie," he said.

Both Norris and Haynes said their positions were based on discussions with the Safety Department.

Norris attributed the confusion to "some incredible misunderstanding."

Haynes agreed to delay a vote on the bill so he could nail down the Safety Department's position on the bill.