WILSON CO., Tenn. (WTVF) — After days of speculation and rumors swirling online, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials say the agency has not purchased land or a facility in Wilson County.
An ICE supervisor overseeing the Middle Tennessee area confirmed the agency has not purchased a facility in Lebanon. The supervisor said an initial email to media confirming detention center plans was "made without proper approval."
The confusion prompted hundreds of residents to pack Tuesday night's Wilson County Commission meeting, with some forced to wait outside due to capacity.
When the meeting began, Mayor Randall Hutto acknowledged that even local officials were uncertain about the facility's status.
"Just a while ago, I was told that, yes, they're coming, and then I was told Senator Mark Pody that they said they retracted everything and they wasn't coming. And he sent me an email of that," Hutto said.
Reports had circulated that ICE secured a site for a detention center in Lebanon to hold undocumented immigrants awaiting deportation. State officials took to social media, saying they couldn't find proof this was happening.
Local leaders also noted Wilson County lacks the infrastructure to handle sewage from such a large facility.
The controversy ignited hundreds of residents to share their opinions during the meeting.
"People are being denied their 14th Amendment constitutional rights to due process. They're not being provided with medical care or life-saving medications, and we absolutely cannot ignore the reports of physical and sexual abuse that are occurring at these facilities," one resident said.
Another speaker, identifying herself as the daughter of a Vietnam combat veteran, said the situation contradicted what her father fought for.
"This is not about right or left. This is about right or wrong," she said.
One resident expressed feeling safer with undocumented immigrants than with ICE agents.
"We have all seen countless videos of ICE agents indiscriminately kidnapping, brutalizing, and murdering citizens and non-citizens alike. I feel much safer with undocumented immigrants than I ever will with ICE agents. They are not welcome in my community," the resident said.
At least one person attempted to share a different perspective before being booed by the crowd.
"So I feel like if people do a little more paperwork to get here, there won't really be as many issues. But since there's a lot of people that don't do the paperwork to get here, we're here now, okay? So I want to be the one to say, all lives matter, American, if you're from here, if you're not from here," the person said.
An ICE spokesperson provided clarification on the agency's position:
"ICE has NOT purchased a facility in Lebanon, Tennessee. That statement was sent without proper approval, and this mistake has since been rectified," the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson added that ICE continues enforcement activities nationwide and is working to expand detention space.
"ICE is targeting criminal illegal aliens, including murderers, rapists, criminals, gang members and more. 70% of ICE arrests are of illegal aliens charged or convicted of a crime in the U.S. Thanks to the One Big Beautiful Bill, ICE has new funding to expand detention space to keep these criminals off American streets before they are removed for good from our communities," the spokesperson said.
However, a CBS report found that less than 14% of those arrested by ICE in Trump's first year back in office had violent criminal records, according to documents.
For now, ICE says no detention facility is planned for Middle Tennessee, though the agency continues enforcement operations across the region.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at Patsy.Montesinos@NewsChannel5.com
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