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City rejects permit to build mosque over ‘anti-Muslim animus,' TN lawsuit says
City rejects permit to build mosque over ‘anti-Muslim animus,' TN lawsuit says

Miami Herald

time30-07-2025

  • Politics
  • Miami Herald

City rejects permit to build mosque over ‘anti-Muslim animus,' TN lawsuit says

A local Muslim congregation is suing a Tennessee city after officials delayed plans to build a mosque then rejected them completely. The lawsuit — filed July 25 in the United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of the Bartlett Muslim Society — asks the court to declare the city's actions a violation of federal and state law and to make the city approve their building plans. 'Our congregation needs more space to worship, teach our children, and host community meals and gatherings,' Badrul Hossain, board president of the Bartlett Muslim Society, said in a July 25 news release. 'We have tried very hard to work with the city and have responded to any and all concerns raised, yet we were still denied a permit.' A spokesperson for the City of Bartlett told McClatchy News in a July 30 email they had not been officially served with the complaint and are unable to comment. According to the complaint, city officials have approved plans for Christian churches in similar or 'less favorable' situations, including one church in which 70 people signed a petition in opposition of the build. 'This is a clear case of interference with religious freedom,' Stella Yarbrough, ACLU-TN legal director said in the release. 'The facts don't support the permit denial, but they do reveal something deeper — an attempt to restrict a community's religious practices based on who they are.' Bartlett is about a 10-mile drive northeast from downtown Memphis. The Bartlett Muslim Society — made up of about 20 families — had plans to build a new worship space after outgrowing a commercial retail space it had been renting, according to the complaint. The rental space lacked room to accommodate religious needs, like keeping men and women separate during prayer, performing ablution and observing the Ramadan feast together, according to the complaint. But after purchasing land for a new mosque and submitting a special use permit application in 2023, the congregation was subjected to 'extensive, expensive, and purposeless delay as part of a sham permitting process,' attorneys said. This marked the start of what led to the suit accusing the city of violating the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) of 2000, which protects religious institutions from discrimination in zoning and landmarking laws, according to the Department of Justice. Unlike other applicants for the permit, the Bartlett Muslim Society had to complete a mandatory traffic study, which they paid more than $20,000 for, according to the complaint. Two city planning commission members said in private text messages they thought the traffic study was 'a total waste of time and money,' according to a public records request cited in the complaint. Despite the study's conclusion that the mosque wouldn't have a negative impact on traffic patterns, the commission voted unanimously in December to deny the request, and in February it was formally denied by the city, attorneys said. According to attorneys, the city also denied any attempts to compromise or find an alternate solution, imposing a burden on the group's religious exercise and discriminating against them based on religion. 'The real reason the (Bartlett Muslim Society's) permit was denied was anti-Muslim animus,' attorneys said. In previous years, Muslims have been perceived as facing a 'high degree of discrimination,' according to Pew Research Center. While that changed this year — with the share of Americans who said Muslims face discrimination at the lowest level in eight years — Muslims still remain among the top groups to be perceived as facing at least some discrimination, McClatchy News reported.

Tennessee's immigration law: From criminalizing support for sanctuary cities to new IDs, what GOP-backed bill does
Tennessee's immigration law: From criminalizing support for sanctuary cities to new IDs, what GOP-backed bill does

Yahoo

time31-01-2025

  • Politics
  • Yahoo

Tennessee's immigration law: From criminalizing support for sanctuary cities to new IDs, what GOP-backed bill does

Tennessee Republicans passed an immigration bill this week criminalizing local officials who support sanctuary policies for immigrants. Additionally, the bill seeks to establish a central immigration enforcement office and adopt new driver's licenses differentiating legal resident immigrants from U.S. citizens. Shortly following the bill's passage, the American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee announced it was preparing to sue the state over the pending law. "This unprecedented, unconstitutional legislation will inflict unimaginable harm on people who have immigrated to Tennessee seeking freedom and a better life, and criminalize any local officials who vote in support of 'sanctuary policies,'" said ACLU-TN Legal Director Stella Yarbrough in a statement. "Threatening officials with felony charges and criminal prosecution based solely on how they vote raises significant constitutional concerns." The bill will soon go to Gov. Bill Lee's desk. Here's what to know. If signed into law, the bill will criminalize local officials who support sanctuary policies, establish a central immigration enforcement office and adopt new new driver's licenses for non-U.S. citizens. Criminalization for support of sanctuary cities: The bill criminalizes local officials, such as county commission or city council members, who vote for any policy considered a "sanctuary" measure, despite sanctuary policies already being banned in Tennessee. Support for sanctuary policies from local officials would be considered a Class E felony, punishable by up to six years in prison and a $3,000 fine. Immigration enforcement division: The legislation will fund a $5 million office within the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, allowing Lee to tap an enforcement director and incentivize local law enforcement entities to enter into a contract program with federal immigration authorities. However, the bill does no make substantive changes on how local law enforcement can cooperate with federal officials. New licenses for legal residents, non-U.S. citizens: Under the new bill, legal residents will no longer carry the same IDs as U.S. citizens. Instead, legal residents, such as DACA recipients or green card holders, will be assigned licenses with "visually distinctive" markers. According to the bill, legal residents who renew their license on or after Jan. 1, 2026, must provide proof of citizenship to maintain their license, permit or photo ID. If proof is not provided, the resident will be issued a temporary ID. Lee and GOP leadership have said the measures are necessary to help President Donald Trump enforce his immigration policies, despite the Trump administration not explicitly directing states to take up any new policies at this time. As previously reported by The Tennessean, the bill was passed despite warnings from staff attorneys that the bill is "constitutionally suspect" in its unprecedented effort to curtail elected officials' voting decisions. "It is illegal under state law to set up sanctuary cities. That statute, as defined now, does not have any teeth in it," said House Majority Leader William Lamberth, R-Portland. "We are not going to allow cities and counties set up a sanctuary city. If they vote to do so, absolutely it will be a felony and they will be removed from office." Diana Leyva covers trending news and service journalism for The Tennessean. Contact her at Dleyva@ or follow her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, at @_leyvadiana This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: What does Tennessee's immigration law do? Bill supports Trump policy

Tennessee's immigration law: From criminalizing support for sanctuary cities to new IDs, what GOP-backed bill does
Tennessee's immigration law: From criminalizing support for sanctuary cities to new IDs, what GOP-backed bill does

USA Today

time31-01-2025

  • Politics
  • USA Today

Tennessee's immigration law: From criminalizing support for sanctuary cities to new IDs, what GOP-backed bill does

Tennessee Republicans passed an immigration bill this week criminalizing local officials who support sanctuary policies for immigrants. Additionally, the bill seeks to establish a central immigration enforcement office and adopt new driver's licenses differentiating legal resident immigrants from U.S. citizens. Shortly following the bill's passage, the American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee announced it was preparing to sue the state over the pending law. "This unprecedented, unconstitutional legislation will inflict unimaginable harm on people who have immigrated to Tennessee seeking freedom and a better life, and criminalize any local officials who vote in support of 'sanctuary policies,'" said ACLU-TN Legal Director Stella Yarbrough in a statement. "Threatening officials with felony charges and criminal prosecution based solely on how they vote raises significant constitutional concerns." The bill will soon go to Gov. Bill Lee's desk. Here's what to know. What is Tennessee's immigration bill, what will it do? If signed into law, the bill will criminalize local officials who support sanctuary policies, establish a central immigration enforcement office and adopt new new driver's licenses for non-U.S. citizens. Criminalization for support of sanctuary cities: The bill criminalizes local officials, such as county commission or city council members, who vote for any policy considered a "sanctuary" measure, despite sanctuary policies already being banned in Tennessee. Support for sanctuary policies from local officials would be considered a Class E felony, punishable by up to six years in prison and a $3,000 fine. The bill criminalizes local officials, such as county commission or city council members, who vote for any policy considered a "sanctuary" measure, despite sanctuary policies already being banned in Tennessee. Support for sanctuary policies from local officials would be considered a Class E felony, punishable by up to six years in prison and a $3,000 fine. Immigration enforcement division: The legislation will fund a $5 million office within the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, allowing Lee to tap an enforcement director and incentivize local law enforcement entities to enter into a contract program with federal immigration authorities. However, the bill does no make substantive changes on how local law enforcement can cooperate with federal officials. The legislation will fund a $5 million office within the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, allowing Lee to tap an enforcement director and incentivize local law enforcement entities to enter into a contract program with federal immigration authorities. However, the bill does no make substantive changes on how local law enforcement can cooperate with federal officials. New licenses for legal residents, non-U.S. citizens: Under the new bill, legal residents will no longer carry the same IDs as U.S. citizens. Instead, legal residents, such as DACA recipients or green card holders, will be assigned licenses with "visually distinctive" markers. According to the bill, legal residents who renew their license on or after Jan. 1, 2026, must provide proof of citizenship to maintain their license, permit or photo ID. If proof is not provided, the resident will be issued a temporary ID. Why did the Tennessee GOP supermajority pass the immigration bill? Lee and GOP leadership have said the measures are necessary to help President Donald Trump enforce his immigration policies, despite the Trump administration not explicitly directing states to take up any new policies at this time. As previously reported by The Tennessean, the bill was passed despite warnings from staff attorneys that the bill is "constitutionally suspect" in its unprecedented effort to curtail elected officials' voting decisions. "It is illegal under state law to set up sanctuary cities. That statute, as defined now, does not have any teeth in it," said House Majority Leader William Lamberth, R-Portland. "We are not going to allow cities and counties set up a sanctuary city. If they vote to do so, absolutely it will be a felony and they will be removed from office." What does Tennessee's immigration bill say? Read SB 6002/HB 6001 Diana Leyva covers trending news and service journalism for The Tennessean. Contact her at Dleyva@ or follow her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, at @_leyvadiana

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