A lawsuit filed by religious organizations and two individuals could stop a new Tennessee law that would make harboring foreigners in the country a crime.
The plaintiffs are the Southeastern Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, a Murfreesboro landlord, and a "John Doe" living with a son-in-law who is seeking asylum, according to the federal court filing.
The bill creates a class A misdemeanor charge for people who harbor individuals they "know or who should have known" are illegally in the country.
"Doe fears that he could be prosecuted under the 'human smuggling' law for providing shelter to his daughter and son-in-law because they are paying rent and because Doe knows his son-in-law’s immigration status. He worries about the safety and security of his family," the lawsuit states.
