Former ESL student protests against Tennessee bill that could deny education for undocumented children
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — A bill that would allow school districts to ban undocumented students continues to move through Tennessee's legislature.
Protesters rallied at the Tennessee State Capitol on Tuesday, March 11 against HB 793, which would allow local education agencies to choose whether or not to enroll students who are 'unlawfully present' in the U.S.
'This gives an option to the local districts to require that proof of citizenship just as they require proof of residency or immunization,' House Majority Leader William Lamberth (R-Portland), the sponsor of bill, said.
The bill passed in a House subcommittee Tuesday, which prompted more protests.
PREVIOUS: TN bill allowing school districts to ban undocumented students passes House subcommittee
'With a lot of the children I saw there, the children crying with their families when the bill passed, I just saw myself and a lot of my colleagues in them — people who grew up in search of a better life,' Raymond Ni, who was among those protesting at the State Capitol, said.
For Ni, his passion for education stems from his own experience as a second-generation immigrant. He took English as a Second Language (ESL) classes in Kindergarten and first grade through Metro Nashville Public Schools before moving to Wilson County.
'Being in ESL class was able to help prep me to be a productive member of this community,' Ni said, adding that it allowed him to learn English more quickly and eventually take challenging classes in high school before going to his dream college.
SEE ALSO: Tennessee bill to let school districts deny undocumented students narrowly passes Senate committee
Ni told News 2 his parents immigrated from China so they could give their children a better education: 'My mom wanted to be a doctor, but she couldn't because her family was in poverty, and she just didn't want this idea of broken dreams to happen to her children in the future.'
According to Ni, no matter your citizenship status, education should be a guarantee for all students.
'Education is a gateway to a better life for someone to achieve their dreams, and a gateway for someone to serve their community,' Ni said.
'If someone is here illegally, they are not the responsibility of Tennesseans to pay for their education. They are here illegally,' Lamberth said in the past.
HB 793 moved out of the House K-12 Subcommittee on a 5-3 vote. It now moves onto the full House Education Committee.
The Senate version of the bill narrowly moved out of the Senate Education Committee last week with an amendment that would let families pay tuition to attend class if they cannot prove their citizenship. The amended version will move on to the Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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