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Tennessee Republicans Block Legislation Honoring Hispanic Activist Renata Soto

Republican senators have said privately they're concerned about La Raza's positions on immigration. Credit: Juan Pont Lezica
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Republican lawmakers are objecting to a plan to honor Nashville-based immigration activist Renata Soto.

They’re balking at a
resolution

 that congratulates her for being elected chair of the board of directors of the
National Council of La

Raza
. That organization represents Latinos and has advocated for a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants.

Republicans refused to include it in a group of similar resolutions honoring Tennesseans that were up for a vote this morning. That’ll force its sponsors to defend it in committee.

No reason was specified. “I can’t imagine anybody having a personal beef with Renata Soto,” said Nashville Representative Mike Stewart. “But, you know, you never know.” Stewart speculates the objections are to La Raza, rather than Soto personally.

The Costa Rica-born Soto is the co-founder of Conexión Américas, an organization that works with Latino immigrants.

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Chas Sisk, Senior Editor

Chas joined WPLN in 2015 and became an editor in 2018. Previously, he covered state politics for Nashville Public Radio and The Tennessean, and he’s also reported on communities, politics and business for a variety of publications in Massachusetts, New York and Washington, D.C. Chas grew up in South Carolina and attended Columbia University, where he studied economics and journalism.

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