08-04-2025
Using prayer as protest, Tennessee clergy disrupt debate to deny education to immigrant children
Rev. Rick Roberts, pastor of St. John's Lutheran Church in Donelson and Rev. Matt Steinhauer, interim pastor of St. Andrews Lutheran Church in Franklin, on Monday knelt in front of lawmakers debating a bill to deny an education to some immigrant children. (Photo: John Partipilo/Tennessee Lookout)
Debate over a bill to deny certain immigrant children the right to an education was disrupted Monday as two Lutheran pastors knelt in front of a House committee room and recited the Lord's Prayer. Others in the audience soon joined from their seats.
The bill (HB793/SB836) by Sen. Bo Watson of Hixson and House Majority Leader William Lamberth of Portland — both Republicans — would give public school districts the option of verifying student immigration status, charging tuition of students who cannot prove they are legal residents or barring enrollment entirely.
Legislative hearings about the bill have often drawn large audiences, including clergy who have previously interrupted debate to recite the Pledge of Allegiance and sung 'Jesus Loves the Little Children.'
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On Monday, as during previous disruptions, Republicans immediately called for a vote as the Christian prayer was recited, then exited the room. The measure passed 8-7.
A companion bill in the Senate is headed to a floor vote. The two bills differ in one key respect: the Senate version requires schools to check immigration status. In the House version, public school districts have the option of checking status, rather than a legal mandate.
Rep. John Ray Clemmons, a Nashville Democrat, raised his voice and, at times, banged his hand on the dais, speaking out against the measure as a way to 'discriminate against innocent children who have no idea whether they are undocumented or not.'
'I've given up trying to compel people with empathy, heart, love, anything like that so I'm going to talk about money,' he said. Clemmons cited data showing the high costs of crime, healthcare, lifetime lowered earning potential and poverty associated with children not finishing high school.
'All of these things cost the state of Tennessee money. And all are the direct results of kids not finishing high school,' he said. 'This makes no sense.'
Lamberth has cited rising cost of English-language learner instruction in Tennessee public schools as one driver of the bill, while critics have noted English language learners include legal immigrants. Lamberth has also made clear that his goal for the legislation is to draw a legal challenge that ultimately lands before the Supreme Court in order to revisit its 1982 decision in Plyler v. Doe, which established the right to public school education for all children, regardless of immigration status.
Maria and Paul Stenz pray during a House committee meeting on April 7, 2025. (Photo: John Partipilo/Tennessee Lookout)
Rev. Matt Steinhauer, in clerical collar and at right, Rev. Rick Roberts, leave a House committee meeting after Tennessee Highway Patrol officers asked them to leave. The pair disrupted the meeting by reciting the Lord's Prayer. (Photo: John Partipilo/Tennessee Lookout)
Lamberth stressed Monday his version of the bill is permissive, giving ultimate authority on whether to check student immigration status, charge tuition or deny enrollment to individual school districts.
The bill's language contains no requirement that schools report students without legal status to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, but Watson, the bill's cosponsor, told lawmakers last week that was 'something to be considered in the rules and regulations' the state Department of Education would develop should the bill become law.
Rep. Monty Fritts, a Republican from Kingston, praised Lamberth for bringing the bill, saying there is 'no greater act of rebellion in these United States than illegally coming across that border.'
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'We're not talking about immigrants. We're talking about illegals. There's a big difference,' he said, drawing jeers from some in the audience.
Fritts's comments also drew pushback from TIRRC Votes, the political action arm of the Tennessee Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights.
'Republicans like Rep. Fritts are scrambling to point their finger at immigrants in order to distract us from the real insurrection happening before our eyes,' said Judith Clerjeune, TIRRC Votes advocacy director. 'An unelected billionaire is hijacking Tennesseans' retirement accounts while a lawless president defies court orders and imposes shortsighted tariffs, raising the prices of everything from eggs to cars to homes.
Monday's meeting drew about a dozen clergy members and pastors from Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, the United Methodist Church, Church of Christ and other denominations who were among more than 240 faith leaders who signed a letter to lawmakers urging them to vote against the bill.
'We are calling on you to consider the impact of your vote and steward the influence you have to create welcoming communities for the neighbors Christ commands us to love as ourselves,' the letter said.
The bill will next be heard in the House Finance committee next week.
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