TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Azya Thornton on Jun 8, 2026

Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton, R-Crossville, and Republican U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn are criticizing a proposed $735,000 allocation in Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell's fiscal year 2027 budget for the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC), according to the Tennessean. In a social media post, Sexton said the Tennessee Comptroller's Office and the Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference are reviewing the funding for compliance with state law while Blackburn is urging Nashville council members to reject the funding, describing TIRRC as a "pro-illegal alien nonprofit." TIRRC officials and the mayor's office are defending the allocation, noting the organization provides legal services and support for immigrants and refugees and has received city funding for years.