In total, 21 law enforcement agencies in Tennessee, representing 19 of Tennessee’s 95 counties, have now entered into 287(g) agreements with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), allowing state and local law enforcement to aid immigration authorities by performing enforcement tasks or providing information to their federal counterparts.
An ICE database containing names of agencies with active 287(g) agreements reveals that 19 sheriff’s offices throughout the Volunteer State are now listed, including one with two agreements with ICE.
The most common agreement between 287(g) agreement between Tennessee’s law enforcement agencies and ICE is the Warrant Service Officer Program, under which the agency explains, “ICE trains, certifies, and authorizes” deputies “to serve and execute administrative warrants” on illegal immigrants within their jurisdiction.
A total of 12 sheriff’s offices have entered into such agreements. Counties whose sheriff’s offices have entered into Warrant Service Officer agreements with ICE include, Coffee County, Cumberland County, Giles County, Grainger County, Grundy County, Haywood County, Macon County, Madison County, McMinn County, Robertson County, Sullivan County, and Sumner County.
Another eight law enforcement agencies have Jail Enforcement Model agreements with ICE, which allows officers, “to identify and process removable aliens,” who are incarcerated in a jail or detention facility, so they can be transferred to federal custody.
These agencies include the Bradley County Sheriff’s Office, Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, Greene County Sheriff’s Office, Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, Knox County Sheriff’s Office, Morgan County Sheriff’s Office, and the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, as well as the Tennessee Department of Corrections (TDOC).
Putnam County Sheriff’s Office was the only Tennessee law enforcement agency to appear on the list twice, as it was also listed under the Task Force Model, under which ICE explains local law enforcement can, “enforce limited immigration authority while performing routine police duties, such as identifying an alien at a DUI checkpoint and sharing information directly with ICE,” while allowing an ICE supervisor to determine next steps.
In addition to the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the agency’s database shows that the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security (TDOSHS), which oversees Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP), has entered into a Task Force Model agreement with ICE.
Notably, The Tennessee Star was the first outlet to report that THP troopers stopped Kilmar Abrego Garcia in November 2022, when the “Biden-era FBI” ordered troopers to release the illegal immigrant from El Salvador, and alleged human smuggler, despite troopers’ suspicion he was engaged in human trafficking.
The agreement between TDOSHS and ICE is dated to May 13, 2025, according to the agency’s database.
Many of the agreements were created this year, as State Representative Lee Reeves (R-Franklin) noted that just eight of Tennessee’s 95 counties had entered into such agreements by June 4.
A new state law took effect in July, authorizing new grants to law enforcement agencies with such agreements, and 15 law enforcement agencies had finalized their agreements by June 26. An additional seven agreements were struck last month.
– – –
Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Pennsylvania Daily Star and The Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
I thought it was a federal law that all county jails in the USA notify ICE when they have a illegal alien in their jail population ?
Hopefully the rest of the counties will follow suit as well. It’s a start!
Coordinating with ICE should be the norm for ALL Tennessee law enforcement operations. Especially in the larger cities – particularly Nashville – where the illegals are more concentrated.