NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) may be planning to open a “National Call Center” in Nashville to help law enforcement locate unaccompanied migrant children for potential removal.
According to a federal contracting notice, ICE says there is an “immediate need” for the center, which is expected to handle up to 7,000 calls a day related to the whereabouts of minors. The agency projects the facility could be fully operational by June 2026.
The move comes as part of the Trump administration’s broader immigration crackdown. Earlier this year, ICE directed agents to track down unaccompanied migrant children living in the U.S., many of whom were released to sponsors while their cases move through immigration courts.
Officials say the Nashville call center will centralize information-sharing between ICE and local agencies. Critics, however, warn that it could lead to increased surveillance and fear among immigrant families already navigating a complex and uncertain immigration system.
September 11, 2001 is a day most associate with terror and tragedy. Austin Pollack shares a story from that day about hope and persistence: the effort to save a little girl’s life – with an organ donation. The problem? The young patient was in Houston, and her life-saving liver here in Nashville. With the grounding of all civilian aircraft, how could it be done? “Nobody ever said this isn’t possible.”
- Rhori Johnston
