(a) It is an offense for any person for the purpose of commercial advantage or private financial gain to transport or cause to be transported into the state an individual who the person knows or should have known has illegally entered or remained in the United States, as determined by the bureau of immigration and customs enforcement of the United States department of homeland security.

Attorney's Note

Under the Tennessee Code, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:
ClassPrisonFine
class A misdemeanorup to 11 monthsup to $2,500
For details, see Tenn. Code § 40-35-111

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Terms Used In Tennessee Code 39-17-114

  • Person: includes the singular and the plural and means and includes any individual, firm, partnership, copartnership, association, corporation, governmental subdivision or agency, or other organization or other legal entity, or any agent or servant thereof. See Tennessee Code 39-11-106
  • State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • United States: includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
(b)

(1) This section shall not apply to common carriers.
(2) It is a defense to prosecution under this section that the individuals were being transported for religious purposes.
(c) A violation of this section is a Class A misdemeanor punishable only by a fine of one thousand dollars ($1,000) for each person illegally transported.
(d) Any moneys received from a violation of this section shall go to the arresting agency or agencies.