NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Tennessee law enforcement agencies reported 11,344 criminal cases in 2025 involving individuals they believe are not lawfully present in the U.S., according to a new report from the Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference.
According to FBI and state crime data, Tennessee typically records more than 500,000 criminal offenses annually. The 11,344 cases in the 2025 immigration report would represent about 2.2% of all reported crime statewide. Violent crimes associated with these cases make up about 0.2% of total statewide crime.
Davidson County led the state with 2,477 cases. However, when adjusted for population size, Robertson County had the highest rate of reported cases, followed by Maury, Macon, Davidson, and Sevier counties.
Top 10 Counties by Per-Capita Rate
| Rank | County | Cases (2025 – TNDAGC PDF) | Population (2025 est.) | Arrest Rate (%) |
| 1 | Robertson | 506 | 75,064 | 0.00674% |
| 2 | Maury | 406 | 101,518 | 0.00400% |
| 3 | Macon | 102 | 25,960 | 0.00393% |
| 4 | Davidson | 2,477 | 728,496 | 0.00340% |
| 5 | Sevier | 191 | 56,212 | 0.00340% |
| 6 | Sumner | 540 | 163,688 | 0.00330% |
| 7 | Hamblen | 159 | 48,304 | 0.00329% |
| 8 | Moore | 19 | 5,847 | 0.00325% |
| 9 | Rhea | 74 | 24,736 | 0.00299% |
| 10 | Bedford | 135 | 45,430 | 0.00297% |
Sumner County reported 540 cases — more than double Shelby County's 273 cases, despite Memphis being nearly four times larger.
About 80% of cases statewide were non-violent offenses, most involving traffic or driving-related charges. Just over 10% were classified as violent crimes, such as aggravated assaults, homicides, and kidnappings.
The most common offenses included traffic violations with 3,955 cases, driving without a license with 3,771 cases, and DUI with 2,920 cases. The report lists 169 different offense types total.
The report documented 2,183 total violent crimes, including 41 homicides, 452 aggravated assaults, 40 aggravated kidnappings, and 11 cases of rape of a child.
The report notes several limitations. Data comes from local law enforcement self-reporting and may vary by county. Immigration status is not independently verified by the Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference. Some reports may involve multiple charges for the same individual, causing possible double-counting. Not all agencies reported consistently each month.
Republican lawmakers say the numbers justify stronger immigration enforcement and have been working this year with White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller on policy proposals.
Immigrant advocacy groups argue the majority of cases are minor and warn against the potential for profiling or unfair targeting.
Click here, for the full report.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at Patsy.Montesinos@NewsChannel5.com
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