Bill would train troopers to enforce immigration laws

WSMV
March 29, 2006

(AP) -- Tennessee Highway Patrol troopers would be trained to enforce federal immigration and customs laws under legislation headed for a Senate vote.

The bill sponsored by Sen. Mark Norris, R-Collierville, was unanimously approved by the Senate Transportation Committee on Wednesday and sent to a calendar committee to be scheduled for a floor vote.

It would allow the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to send instructors to Tennessee to train selected officers. The federal government would pay for the training.

The legislation comes amid the state's decision to stop issuing driving certificates to illegal immigrants.

The state Department of Safety stopped issuing the certificates last month, after federal investigators found rings shuttling in immigrants from other states to get them.

Joseph Sweat, a lobbyist for the American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee, said the troopers' training should also include a diversity component.

"It should be a strong component to teacher officers to avoid stopping people based on what they look like because it's an open invitation to engage in racial and ethnic profiling," Sweat said.