Tennessee Advocates Demand Transparency After ICE Arrests of 94 Individuals

A coordinated operation between the Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Nashville resulted in over 80 arrests of undocumented individuals, primarily through a series of overnight traffic stops. Metro Nashville officials emphasized that city police (MNPD) were not involved in the traffic stops or arrests but were present at the ICE facility only to provide extra patrols after a federal request anticipating protests. The operation caught city leaders by surprise, prompting Metro’s Law Director to request the names and charges of those detained from ICE, as families and advocacy groups struggled to identify and support detainees. Legal advocates and immigrant rights organizations have raised concerns about transparency, due process, and detainees' access to legal counsel, citing reports that attorneys were blocked from meeting with some detainees. The arrests have triggered both condemnation from local officials and advocacy groups, as well as support from state Republican lawmakers, fueling ongoing debates over immigration enforcement in Nashville. City officials continue to seek more information from federal authorities as the community responds to the fallout from the operation.