Norris targets legislation to immigration training

By Scott Sloan, Special to Collierville Appeal
November 9, 2005

State Sen. Mark Norris of Collierville introduced legislation authorizing Tennessee Highway Patrol officers to receive federal training in immigration and customs enforcement.

Norris, who chairs the Senate Transportation and Safety Committee, which oversees the Department of Safety and Highway Patrol, cited the importance of curbing illegal immigration.

"Our troopers must have the authority in the course of their regular duties to detain, interrogate and arrest illegal aliens," Norris said. "That is not the case without the federal training and certification provided under this legislation."

Since 1996, Section 287(g) of the Immigration and Naturalization Act, later amended by the Homeland Security Act, has given state government the ability to enforce federal immigration law with proper training and supervision by federal authorities. Tennessee has not taken advantage of it, and Norris thinks the Department of Safety's participation is overdue.

"Funding may have been an issue, but that should no longer be the case," Norris said upon learning that President Bush had signed legislation to provide funding for the training. The Homeland Security Appropriations Act was signed into law on Wednesday.

"To participate, Tennessee must enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Department of Homeland Security, and that requires legislative action on our part," Norris said. "My bill is the first step in the process."

Norris, who also serves as a committee officer of the 16-state Southern Legislative Conference, believes that Florida and Alabama are the only Southern states to have previously obtained federal training.

"Officials in Alabama tell me their 21 troopers with immigration and customs credentials have made arrests resulting in 40 federal prosecutions," Norris said. "Additionally, in just over two years, they seized over $690,000 from cash-smuggling operations. Tennessee deserves the same protection."

Norris, re-elected to a second term last year, represents Shelby, Tipton, Lauderdale and Dyer counties.

Scott Sloan is the committee secretary for the Tennessee Senate Standing Committee on Transportation.