RELEASE: Tennessee Leaders Condemn the Trump Administration's Escalating Anti-Immigrant and Racist Discriminatory Policies and Rhetoric

TIRRC Press

media@tnimmigrant.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PRESS ADVISORY

December 23, 2025

Faith and Advocacy Leaders Demand Accountability as Administration Follows Hateful Language with Travel Bans and Attacks on Legal Status

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC) and faith leaders across the state are condemning the Trump administration's escalating racist and dehumanizing rhetoric targeting immigrant communities, particularly the recent Islamophobic and anti-Black attacks on Somali Americans. The statements come as the administration has followed its hateful language with concrete policy actions including travel bans and proposals to strip legal status and even citizenship from immigrants and refugees.

"It should be unnecessary to state that Americans believe and honor the humanity of every person living here regardless of their background, place or origin, or race, but here we are," stated Lisa Sherman Luna, Executive Director of Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition. "The dehumanizing rhetoric coming from President Trump is racist, hateful, and contrary to American values plain and simple. It’s impossible to claim that his comments are just bluster or rhetoric when they are followed up by policy action that removed status and even citizenship for those who don’t look like him or valorize him enough. It’s past time that elected officials from both political parties not only condemn this hateful language but follow through with policy change that actually protects the rights and freedoms of everyone regardless of race or background and that also starts to hold this president accountable for his harmful and hateful speech and actions.”

"Today as a priest in the Episcopal Church I’m here to declare that every immigrant and refugee has inherent worth and dignity bestowed upon them by God. And today we are demanding that these rights be respected by those in power," said Rev. Ed Smith, Associate Priest in the Episcopal Church shared in his released video statement. He continued saying, "Right now our immigrant neighbors, congregants, coworkers, and family members are under attack. I especially want to condemn the recent attacks that were made that are islamaphobic, racist, and anti-black on the Somali American community and all immigrants.

"The current agenda that prioritizes mass deportation and removes legal status from people fleeing violence and harm in their countries of origin just ends up ripping apart families and depriving immigrants of their fundamental due process rights.

"So today, I’m calling for the immediate end to unjust arrest, rushed deportations without hearing, and enforcement of tactics designed to silence and disappear immigrants. It is our duty as Christians to call for a love of neighbor over violence and harm."

###

The Tennessee Immigrant & Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC) is a statewide, immigrant and refugee-led collaboration whose mission is to build power, amplify our voices, and organize communities to advocate for our rights in order to build a stronger, more inclusive Tennessee where people of all nationalities, immigration statuses, and racial identities can belong and thrive. Since its founding in 2001, TIRRC has grown from a grassroots network of community leaders into one of the most diverse and effective coalitions of its kind, a model for emerging immigrant rights organizations in the Southeast and throughout the United States.