Lisa Sherman Luna

We have whole sections of our communities in Nashville who are going to face more hardship because they're having to make tough choices like stay in their homes and not go to a warming center and the risk that that puts on people.

All of us should be really disturbed right now that we have whole sections of our communities in Nashville who are going to face more hardship because they're having to make tough choices like stay in their homes and not go to a warming center and the risk that that puts on people.

It's Tennessee's political, not literal, climate that has some people staying in their homes even as the overnight lows continue to dip below freezing.

Lisa Sherman Luna with the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition says many people without legal status have avoided calling 911 or taking advantage of warming shelters in the cold out of fear of being deported.

As the winter weather continues, some households are now marking their fourth day without power.

For NPR News, I'm Marianna Bakayau in Nashville.