Tennessee Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson (R-Franklin) said over 6,200 illegal aliens have been removed from the Volunteer State “due to the efforts of President Donald Trump.”
Johnson posted a video on social media Saturday citing a report that he said names Tennessee “as one of the most successful states in all of America in terms of getting violent illegal aliens out of our communities.”
“We’ve arrested over 6,200 illegal aliens and over 4,500 who have been convicted or charged with a violent crime,” he said.
The figures reported by Johnson indicate that approximately 72.6 percent of the removals involved illegal aliens with criminal records.
We have successfully removed 6,200 illegal aliens from our Tennessee streets and we’re not stopping. @realDonaldTrump is keeping his word and we proudly stand along side him to keep our communities safe. pic.twitter.com/yS7s6Os2L8
— Jack Johnson (@SenJohnson) January 17, 2026
Johnson credited the increase in removals of illegal aliens from Tennessee to immigration policies implemented by the Trump administration, adding, “We’re going to cooperate with [President Trump], and we’re going to make Tennessee the safest state in America.”
The Senate majority leader’s announcement came two days after he and a group of Republican leaders in the Tennessee General Assembly unveiled a legislative package aimed at a comprehensive overhaul of immigration policy.
Announced at a press conference, the proposals emphasize cooperation with federal authorities and follow recent meetings between state leaders and White House officials to align enforcement efforts.
Today in Nashville, Republicans announced a comprehensive plan to put an end to illegal immigration in Tennessee. Laws will be enforced locally and statewide, will preserve legal immigration, protect taxpayers and end sanctuary cities loopholes. Tennessee will not become the next… pic.twitter.com/BIEddmsl8u
— Speaker Cameron Sexton (@CSexton25) January 15, 2026
The legislative package includes measures to criminalize certain immigration-related offenses, expand reporting requirements for law enforcement, tighten driver’s license and vehicle registration rules, mandate E-Verify for public employers, and restrict access to public benefits and professional licenses based on citizenship or legal status.
Republicans also signaled renewed interest in advancing additional immigration-related bills this session, building on last year’s creation of the Centralized Immigration Enforcement Division, a state immigration enforcement division housed within the Department of Safety and Homeland Security, and other measures.
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Kaitlin on X / Twitter.
Photo “ICE Arrest” by ICE.
