SB836 authorizes Local Education Agencies (LEAs) and public charter schools to refuse to enroll students who are unlawfully present in the United States.
The Tennessee State Senate passed SB836 on April 10, 2025 by a vote of 19 to 13. We have assigned pluses to the ayes because taxpayer-funded education is not the role of government and should not be extended to those who have entered the country illegally, especially when public schools are already burdened with declining academic outcomes and rising costs. SB836 helps deter illegal migration by removing one of its incentives—"free" government education—and reinforces the principle that state resources should serve citizens and legal residents first. Education is not a legitimate function of government, and certainly not a service that should be extended to those in the United States Illegally. This bill supports state sovereignty and upholds the rule of law—and critics of the bill claim it jeopardizes federal funding, which would be a win.
