Tennessee's Republican supermajority paused a controversial bill that sought to allow public K-12 schools to deny enrollment to children without legal immigration status, amidst protests and debates. Despite this move, party lawmakers expressed intentions to continue pushing similar legislation nationwide, aiming for a court showdown that could revisit the Supreme Court's Plyler v. Doe ruling from 1982, which guarantees educational access irrespective of immigration status. Advocacy groups challenge claims about the educational burden of non-English speakers, indicating that most are citizens, while similar legislative efforts across several states have failed this year.
"After weeks of protests and strained debate, Tennessee's Republican supermajority hit pause on a bill that would have let public K-12 schools deny enrollment to children without legal immigration status."
"Republicans across the country had hoped to trigger a lawsuit challenging the law that would bring the issue back to the U.S. Supreme Court, similar to how a state law in Mississippi led to the court overturning federal abortion rights in 2022."
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