RELEASE: “We’re Tennesseans Too.”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 19, 2024
“We’re Tennesseans Too.”
Over 150 immigrants and refugees take to Capitol Hill to combat anti-immigrant legislation.
NASHVILLE — Today, over 150 Tennesseans representing over 20 countries took to the state capitol to attend the annual Immigrant and Refugee Day on the Hill, organized by the Tennessee Immigrant & Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC) and TIRRC Votes.
“We are here today because too often our politicians forget that immigrants, refugees, and their children are Tennesseans, too,” said Judith Clerjeune, Campaigns and Advocacy Director of TIRRC and TIRRC Votes. “That all of us, no matter where we’re from or how we got here, have a stake in the future of our state and can play a powerful role in contributing to a future of shared prosperity.”
Hundreds of immigrants and refugees came to the capitol as the legislature debates a slate of anti-immigrant bills, including bills such as HB2124/SB2576, which mimics the demands of federal 287(g) agreements throughout the state, and HB2078/SB2802, a bill criminalizing the transportation of undocumented immigrants, and other bills moving through the House and Senate.
“This year, our legislators are hellbent on dividing and attacking Tennessee communities,” continued Clerjeune. They have introduced a slate of legislation to exclude and criminalize immigrant families and make life harder across the board instead of working to make sure our families, of all languages and immigration statuses, can thrive and prosper in our state.”
Immigrant and refugee community members attending the day on the hill received advocacy and communications training, including how to meet and share their story with lawmakers to encourage them to support immigrant Tennesseans and oppose harmful bills.
“Just as my community helped me throughout my life, I want to help them now by using my voice,” said Joanna Maldonado, a child of immigrants who was born and raised in Nashville. “It is so important for these bills to not pass, because though they’re targeted at immigrants, they will affect everyone in the state in some way. For me personally, that includes friends, family members, and members of my church who may no longer feel safe in their communities.”
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The Tennessee Immigrant & Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC) is a statewide, immigrant and refugee-led collaboration whose mission is to build power, amplify our voices, and organize communities to advocate for our rights in order to build a stronger, more inclusive Tennessee where people of all nationalities, immigration statuses, and racial identities can belong and thrive. Since its founding in 2001, TIRRC has grown from a grassroots network of community leaders into one of the most diverse and effective coalitions of its kind, a model for emerging immigrant rights organizations in the Southeast and throughout the United States.
TIRRC Votes was launched in 2018 to strengthen and expand our democracy by building power in immigrant and refugee communities and advocating for equitable and inclusive public policy. TIRRC Votes is affiliated with the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC).