Tennessee Senate OKs a plan to let public schools turn away undocumented students

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee schools would be allowed to turn away or charge students tuition if their families cannot prove their legal residency under a proposal that advanced Thursday out of the GOP-dominated Senate.

The legislation is designed to directly challenge the 1982 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Plyler v. Doe, in which the justices found it unconstitutional to deny children an education based on their immigration status. For decades, the ruling has protected children of families living in the country illegally and granted them the right to attend public school.

The Tennessee proposal still faces hurdles in the state House.

President Donald Trump, who is moving aggressively to deport immigrants who entered the U.S. illegally as well as some visa and green card holders, appears to have emboldened Republicans who previously may have been uneasy about revoking public education from young children.

Similar proposals this year have popped up in conservatives states such as Oklahoma and Texas, but no state has advanced the idea as far as Tennessee has.

“The Plyler decision in 1982 was the voice of the court being imposed on the people,” said Tennessee Republican Sen. Bo Watson, a sponsor of the legislation. “This is the voice of the people being exercised through their elected officials.”

On Thursday, Republican senators endorsed Watson's bill 19 to 13. Seven Republicans joined the chamber's six Democrats in opposing it, at times showing emotion or even tearing up.

"I don’t think it’s proper to punish children for their parents’ mistake,” said Republican Sen. Ferrell Haile, who quoted Bible passages while making his argument.

Shortly after the vote, a handful of protesters — including school children — yelled out and were removed from the public gallery.

Several steps remain before the bill can become law. The House version is still making its way through legislative committees, and currently contains differences from the Senate proposal. The two chambers would have to hash those out before the legislation could be sent to Republican Gov. Bill Lee for his signature.

Lee has not yet publicly weighed in on the proposal, but he has never vetoed a bill. Lawmakers also have the option of overriding any veto with a simple majority vote.

A Tennessee state flag hangs near a window of the Senate chamber as demonstrators protest an immigration bill outside at the state Capitol Thursday, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/John Amis)

State troopers stop Ingrid McIntyre and Michele Flynn, second from right, as McIntyre argues to go inside the Senate after protesting an immigration bill outside the chamber at the state Capitol Thursday, April 10, 2025 in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/John Amis)

Demonstrators hold up signs protesting an immigration bill as it is discussed in the Senate chamber at the state Capitol Thursday, April 10, 2025 in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/John Amis)

Democratic Senator Raumesh Akbari hugs a young demonstrator as people gather to protest an immigration bill outside the Senate chamber at the state Capitol Thursday, April 10, 2025 in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/John Amis)

Democtratic Sen. Jeff Yarbro, of Nashville, talks to a group protesting an immigration bill outside the Senate chamber at the state Capitol Thursday, April 10, 2025 in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/John Amis)

Rina Belmont protests an immigration bill outside the Senate chamber at the state Capitol Thursday, April 10, 2025 in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/John Amis)

Adalid Lopez, 7, and friends attend a protest against an immigration bill outside the Senate chamber at the state Capitol Thursday, April 10, 2025 in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/John Amis)

Nancy Steffen holds a sign as she protests an immigration bill outside the Senate chamber at the state Capitol Thursday, April 10, 2025 in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/John Amis)

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Bobby Witt Jr. homered to extend his hitting streak to 22 games and had three RBIs, Seth Lugo pitched solid six innings and the Kansas City Royals earned a three-game sweep of the Tampa Bay Rays with an 8-2 victory on Thursday.

Vinnie Pasquantino had a single, a double and two RBIs for the Royals, who have won nine of their past 10.

The crowd of 8,794 was the first non-sellout in 22 games this season for the Rays at Steinbrenner Field.

Mikael Garcia hit a line-drive double to center field for the Royals, stole third base and then scored on a sacrifice fly by Michael Massey to tie it 1-1 in the fourth.

Lugo (3-3) gave up two runs and five hits with five strikeouts. Daniel Lynch IV, Angel Zerpa and Chris Stratton each threw a scoreless inning of relief for the Royals.

Shane Baz (3-1) gave up seven runs and nine hits with three walks over 5 2/3 innings and had his ERA increase from 2.45 to 3.86.

Yandy Díaz hit a solo homer in the first for the Rays. Jonathan Aranda added an RBI single in the sixth.

Salvador Perez (hip soreness) left the game in the seventh inning. The 34-year-old catcher was in the lineup at designated hitter, replaced behind the plate by Freddie Fermin. Perez hit an RBI double in the fifth and Fermin had a double, a single and scored twice.

Witt hit a two-out, two-run homer down the line in right field to spark a three-run fifth that gave the Royals a 4-1 lead.

Witt has a hit in 22 consecutive games, tied with Brian McRae (in 1991) for the sixth-longest hitting streak in Royals history.

Right-hander Michael Wacha (1-3, 3.38 ERA) is scheduled to take the mound on Friday in the first of a three-game series in Baltimore. RHP Dean Kremer (1-3, 7.04 ERA) is expected to pitch for the Orioles.

Rays RHP Ryan Pepiot (2-3, 4.24 ERA) is set to face left-hander Max Fried (5-0, 1.19 ERA) on Friday to start a three-game series against the Yankees in New York.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

Kansas City Royals first base Vinnie Pasquantino gets Tampa Bay Rays' Chandler Simpson (14) out on a close play during the first inning of a baseball game Thursday, May 1, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Tampa Bay Rays' Yandy Díaz jokes with third base coach Brady Williams (4) after Diaz hit a solo home run off Kansas City Royals pitcher Seth Lugo during the first inning of a baseball game Thursday, May 1, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Tampa Bay Rays third base Junior Caminero catches a pop fly by Kansas City Royals' Michael Massey during the second inning of a baseball game Thursday, May 1, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Tampa Bay Rays' Shane Baz pitches to the Kansas City Royals during the second inning of a baseball game Thursday, May 1, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Kansas City Royals' Seth Lugo pitches to the Tampa Bay Rays during the second inning of a baseball game Thursday, May 1, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Kansas City Royals' Maikel Garcia steals third base under Tampa Bay Rays' Junior Caminero (13) during the second inning of a baseball game Thursday, May 1, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Kansas City Royals pitcher Seth Lugo (67) delivers to the Tampa Bay Rays during the first inning of a baseball game Thursday, May 1, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Kansas City Royals' Bobby Witt Jr. watches his two-run home run off Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Shane Baz during the fifth inning of a baseball game Thursday, May 1, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)