Tennessee halts license renewals for 10,000 work permit holders

The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security has stopped accepting federal work permits for drivers license applications and renewals. This administrative shift affects thousands of non-U.S. citizens, including asylum seekers and recipients of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. The state department did not announce the policy change until September, despite the underlying legislation taking effect on Jan. 1.

For years, immigrants with valid work permits could use that documentation to obtain temporary licenses. The new rule requires different forms of identification, effectively removing the legal ability to drive for those who previously qualified. The change stems from a 2025 omnibus immigration law that created a state division to coordinate enforcement between federal and state agencies.

L.R., a nurse in East Tennessee and a DACA recipient, described the immediate impact on his daily routine. He commutes one hour to a rural hospital and said finding a ride is impossible while ride-share costs are too high. He told reporters at a press conference on Friday that the shortage of drivers is worsening existing staffing issues. He said, “We are already experiencing a nursing shortage. With one less nurse on the floor, this has left them dealing with higher patient-to-nurse ratios.”

Ale Z., a therapist for children with disabilities, lost her job after the state rejected her license renewal. She said she is now out of work and lacks the means to transport her own son to medical appointments. Six plaintiffs, all using initials to protect their identities, signed onto the legal challenge against the state.

The National Immigration Law Center, the Tennessee Immigrant & Refugee Rights Coalition, and the law firm Bass, Berry & Sims filed the lawsuit on Friday. They argue the agency violated its own rules by failing to allow for public comment. Tennessee code requires a 90-day waiting period after a formal announcement before a new policy can be implemented, a timeline the department did not follow.

Gov. Bill Lee stated on Wednesday that he had just learned of the change. He said he is looking into legislative unintended consequences. The 2025 immigration law was passed during a special session called by Lee to address enforcement. The General Assembly has continued to pass related measures, including a law requiring public program beneficiaries to prove immigration status, which faced a similar legal challenge in June.

The current lawsuit asks a court to temporarily stop enforcement of the license rule while the legal challenge proceeds. This mirrors a previous case where a judge temporarily blocked a law affecting medical care for sick and disabled children.