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Immigration

Community Voice

Remittance transfer fee on out-of-state money transfers

As part of the FY26-27 budget, Tennessee enacted a $10 fee on all money transfers sent by licensed money transmitters from Tennessee to locations outside the U.S. or its territories, plus a 2% fee on all such transactions over $500. This measure was introduced in part to generate new revenue and has been linked to concerns about illegal immigration and remittances. It is a novel and contested approach to state revenue generation.

Should Tennessee impose fees on money transfers sent from the state to locations outside the United States?

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Sources

114th Tennessee General Assembly — https://bassberry.com/news/2026-legislative-recap-114th-tennessee-general-assembly-second-session
The $58.3 billion budget was tighter than in previous years, leading to unique approaches to generating revenue, including the institution of a $10 fee on all money transferred by a licensed money transmitter from the state to a location outside of the United States or its territories and a 2% fee on all such transactions over $500 (SB2166/HB2502).
WSMV TV — https://www.facebook.com/WSMVTV/posts/tennessees-first-legislative-session-of-2026-starts-next-week-here-are-lawmakers/1350191967137277
The budget, education, and illegal immigration are emerging as top issues as the session gets underway.
Positions on this issue  ·  liberal → conservative
  1. Repeal the remittance fee; it unfairly targets immigrant workers and families who rely on sending money abroad.
  2. Suspend the fee pending a study of its economic impact on Tennessee's immigrant and working-class communities.
  3. Keep the current fee structure but exempt low-income senders and cap total annual fees per individual.
  4. Maintain the fee as enacted to generate state revenue and discourage large out-of-country money transfers.
  5. Increase the fee rate to generate more revenue and more strongly discourage remittances sent outside the U.S.

Illegal immigration policy priorities

As the 2026 legislative session opened, lawmakers and coverage identified illegal immigration alongside the budget and education as a top emerging issue for the General Assembly.

What should Tennessee’s legislative priority be regarding illegal immigration?

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Sources

WSMVTV — https://www.facebook.com/WSMVTV/posts/tennessees-first-legislative-session-of-2026-starts-next-week-here-are-lawmakers/1350191967137277
The budget, education, and illegal immigration are emerging as top issues as the session gets underway.
Positions on this issue  ·  liberal → conservative
  1. Expand immigrant services, limit state-local cooperation with federal enforcement
  2. Focus on humane pathways and workplace protections rather than new state restrictions
  3. Balanced approach: enforce laws while addressing labor needs case-by-case
  4. Strengthen state enforcement cooperation and penalties for illegal presence/hiring
  5. Maximal state crackdown, E-Verify mandates, and denial of public benefits