I am writing this from a place of personal trauma, distress and urgency. Picture this, you are in a foreign land, seeking a better life for your children and then, you learn you might be forced to leave. Can you imagine telling your young child they can't stay, that they need to leave their home, their friends, their life? This is a haunting reality for many immigrant families in Tennessee and could soon intensify if the anti-immigrant law set for enforcement on July 1, 2024, is passed.

Estimates, as per the American Immigration Council, indicate that one in twenty Tennesseans was born in a foreign country, proving the vast impact this law could have. If implemented, countless families, people actively contributing to our communities and economy, will be destabilised. Becoming "legal" is not an easy process; it takes years, sometimes even decades. This law does not provide a fair or just solution.

This is not simply personal to my family and me, but it involves our community, our state, our country's fundamental values of freedom and opportunity for all. Thus, it is essential to address this urgent issue and halt the government's efforts to pass this anti-immigrant law. Please raise your voice against this unjust law. Your signature can make a difference—sign the petition now. Your action will contribute towards fostering a world that champions the cause of the vulnerable and upholds the human rights of all, regardless of their immigration status.