Tennessee asks feds whether state funds are jeopardized by immigrant student bill
House Majority Leader William Lamberth, right, has asked the U.S. Department of Education for guidance on a bill that would restrict undocumented immigrant students from enrolling in K-12 schools. (Photo: John Partipilo/Tennessee Lookout)
In the final days of the 2025 legislative session, Tennessee officials are asking the U.S. Department of Education whether federal funds are being jeopardized by a bill that would restrict undocumented immigrant students from enrolling in K-12 schools.
The state's Fiscal Review Executive Director Bojan Savic sent a letter Monday to U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon to determine whether the state could lose $1.1 billion in federal funds if the legislature passes bills that could force school districts to check the citizenship status of children and force them to pay tuition to enroll.
Hoping for a quick turnaround, House Majority Leader William Lamberth told the Lookout Monday he requested the letter because he wants to know whether the money is at risk before the end of the session, which is expected to be Tuesday.
The bill he is sponsoring, HB793, hit a roadblock, in part because of financial questions surrounding it and could be delayed until 2026, even though it passed the Senate. The Fiscal Review financial analysis says the funds could be in jeopardy because of federal laws prohibiting discrimination.
'We fully trust the Trump Administration will not withhold federal dollars from our schools due to the passage of House Bill 793/Senate Bill 836,' Lamberth said. 'However, out of an abundance of caution, we want to be exceptionally careful before we move forward to ensure no federal taxpayer dollars are at risk. Our first obligation is to prioritize public dollars for students lawfully in the United States. The last thing we want to do is cause our schools to be further drained of much-needed resources.'
The House version of the legislation would give school districts the option to check students to determine whether they have permanent legal documentation, differing from the Senate version, which would require districts to check students' immigration status and require tuition.
Stockard on the Stump: Tennessee immigrant student bill losing momentum
Federal Title VI prohibits discrimination based on race, color or national origins in programs that receive federal funds, and violating the law could put the federal funds in danger. Those deal with the Every Student Succeeds Act, the Individuals with Disabilities Act, Carl Perkins Act and school nutrition.
Lamberth declined Monday to confirm that the bill could be dead for the year. The Lookout reported last week that the bill could be dead for the year, mainly because of financial questions.
Republican Sen. Bo Watson of Hixson, who has been feeling considerable pressure from opponents of the bill, said he would consider seeking a compromise on the measure, according to a Chattanooga TV report.
The bill is designed to go through the courts and challenge the 1982 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Plyler v. Doe that required school districts to education students regardless of their immigration status.
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