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State Sen. Todd Gardenhire is a conservative Tennessee Republican who trusts his opposition stance and support of gun rights to reelection for the recent fourth term.

In recent years he has been like that I loved it Attempts to strengthen state loose gun laws have pushed state laws Curb “implicit bias” training for educatorsand supported border crackdowns to prevent people from illegally crossing into the United States.

But when it comes to the children of those who came to the country illegally, Chattanooga Republicans are a bit outliers.

Since taking office in 2012, Gardenhire has sponsored several bills. All Tennessee students have access to tuition fees at universities in the stateregardless of the immigration situation. The private school voucher supporter voted “No” for Gov. Bill Lee. Limited 2019 voucher plans Because he did not like undocumented students excluded participation.

This year he sponsors a invoice Exempt school-based officers New State Law This requires law enforcement to warn federal immigration authorities if they discover people are illegally in the United States.

“If you look at the Old Testament, that’s clear. The Bible says that it won’t punish a child for what their parents did,” Gardenhire said.

“There’s no need to involve school resource officers in an enforcement policy that makes children fear going to school,” he added. “Schools must be a safe place to learn and receive an education.”

Garden Hire is one of the Republicans who believes the doors to the school building are too far away for any measure aimed at deporting the public.

As the Trump administration takes steps to fulfill his campaign promises, this is a question that allows the GOP to split up about whether to protect school communities or go out to enforce immigration.

Hours after the new president took office, the US Department of Homeland Security 30 years policy has been revoked It prevents immigration officers from arresting in “sensitive” areas such as schools, churches, and hospitals. Instead, the agent’s notes instruct the agent to use “common sense” when performing his or her duties.

Depending on how it works, change could affect all schools in America, changing public opinion about Trump’s immigration agenda.

“It’s not just about immigrant families,” said Lisa Sherman Luna, executive director of the Tennessee Immigration & Refugee Rights Coalition.

“It affects students who are worried about their classmates and friends, teachers who are worried about their students, and citizens who are worried about their neighbors,” she said.

Her organization believes that enforcement of immigration laws by arresting schools and children near them is traumatic and distracting for all students and teachers.

“I think there’s an immense pushback from the public, and it could be a step forward for the conservative Republicans too,” Sherman Luna said.

Nationally, An estimated 4.4 million US-born children Have at least one parent that is not legally in the country An estimated 733,000 school-age children are not documented themselves. In Tennessee, An estimated 12,000 school-age children Not documented.

Most Americans say they support immigrant deporters illegally in the country, but many feel uncomfortable using harsh measures to achieve that goal. Axios-IPSOS poll this month. For example, most people do not support the rapid removal of separate families or deporting them because of immigrants who illegally come to the United States, polls say.

Local and state officials are navigating the new politics of immigration

The Trump administration’s rapid move on immigration has both public and policymakers seeking to understand the complexities of deportation. The new president’s policy appears to target not only people who committed crimes while in the US, but everyone in the country illegally.

This week, the Department of Justice ordered a US lawyer prosecuting local officials Those who refuse to help the Trump administration implement the president’s immigration agenda.

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee has it We invited the council to a special session. On January 27th, he will cover immigration enforcement and other issues, including his proposal for a private school voucher throughout the state. This week, Republican governors and GOP leaders The bill package has been announced It would, among other things, criminalize public servants to appoint state-level immigration enforcement officers and resist new federal and state immigration policies.

Advocates for immigrant families hope that conservative elected officials like Garden Hire will continue to support education issues in states where Republicans hold firm control of the government at most levels. Masu.

The 76-year-old Garden Hyer – sometimes gross and sometimes poetic – has become an unlikely ally of one of Tennessee’s most historically underserved group of students. His district includes most cities Chattanooga, but also rural counties of Bledsoe, Marion and Schnary.

“Senator Garden Hire is incredibly principled and he represents an interesting district with an increasing number of immigrant student populations,” Sherman Luna said.

Ten years ago, she The oldest coalition in the state for immigration rightsSherman Luna worked with Garden Hire on the state’s tuition laws. It died in the Senate but came out shortly after the required votes in the House.

“He has a big heart for immigrant families,” Sherman Luna said. “He understands that not only the humanity of these children and families, but also Hamilton County’s success depends on the ability to educate students, so that they can graduate and become contributors to the community. It’s there.”

The Tennessee Sheriff’s Association is waived Garden Higher, requiring law enforcement to help federal authorities illegally identify, detain and deport people in the country. I support the proposal.

“The goal of a school resource officer is to keep the school safe and build trust with students and faculty,” said Jeff Bledsoe, executive director of the association. “Children should not be afraid of their SRO.”

As for Garden Hire, he is studying how the new politics of immigration will affect his bill, while also reflecting deeply in his religious, moral and economic principles.

RINO label – Or Republicans by Name Only – By far-right conservative groups he describes himself as an old-fashioned Reagan Republican, a “fixer” with an independent streak. Lt. Col. Randy McNally reappointed Gardenhire to chair the Senate’s powerful Judiciary Committee, calling him “a powerful conservative who understands the need for a tough criminal approach.”

“People are different from me on these issues. I respect that,” Gardenhire said of his advocacy for immigrant children at risk of deportation.

“I’m just being asked to work and protect as many children as possible, regardless of who I am or what their background is.” said Garden Hire. “On Judgment Day, we all have to answer someone about how we treated the little kids.”

Malta Aldrich is a senior correspondent and covers Chalkbeat Tennessee’s state capitol. Please contact her at [email protected].

Chalkbeat is a non-profit news site that covers educational changes in public schools.