The Tennessee House of Representatives has passed a bill requiring public schools to verify the citizenship and immigration status of students before enrollment. The bill challenges the Supreme Court case Plyler v. Doe, which guarantees education regardless of immigration status. An amended version of the bill requires tuition for students who cannot prove their status. This move could result in the first state in the country to directly involve public schools in immigration enforcement. This could fundamentally change the role of schools in communities and create hostile environments for students, families, and educators. The author, who served as chief of staff at the Tennessee Department of Education from 2011 to 2015, reflects personal experiences as a formerly undocumented individual who attended public schools.