Research Note
Researched
Tennessee — 287(g) explosion from 14 to 60+ agencies, mandatory participation law SB6002
TN
Overview
Tennessee has undergone one of the most dramatic 287(g) expansions in the country, growing from 14 participating agencies in June 2025 to 60+ agencies by early 2026 — a more than fourfold increase. This was driven by state legislation (SB6002/HB6001) signed by Governor Bill Lee on February 12, 2025, which created a state infrastructure to incentivize and eventually mandate local participation in federal immigration enforcement.
Key Details
SB6002/HB6001 (signed Feb 12, 2025)
- Passed during a special legislative session called by Governor Lee
- Effective dates: Feb 12, 2025 / Jul 1, 2025 / Jan 1, 2026
What the law creates:
- Centralized Immigration Enforcement Division (CIED) within the Department of Safety, headed by a chief immigration enforcement officer appointed by the governor
- Immigration enforcement grant program: $5 million in grants to local agencies that enter 287(g) agreements
- Criminal penalties for local officials who adopt “sanctuary policies” — including potential removal from office
- Coordinates state/local participation in 287(g), detainer compliance, and other federal programs
287(g) growth timeline:
| Date | Agencies | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-2025 | ~5 | Legacy agreements |
| Feb 2025 | ~5 | SB6002 signed |
| Jun 2025 | 14 | Early adopters |
| Nov 2025 | 40+ | Growth after grant funding |
| Jan 6, 2026 | 56 (3 pending) | Per WSMV reporting |
| Early 2026 | 60+ | 48 sheriffs, 8 constable districts, small-town PDs |
Three 287(g) models in use:
- Jail Enforcement Model (JEM): Screen arrestees in jail
- Warrant Service Officer (WSO): Serve ICE warrants on jailed individuals
- Task Force Model (TFM): Street-level enforcement — deputies act as immigration officers
Notable early adopter:
- Putnam County was the first in Tennessee to sign a 287(g) agreement after Trump’s return (Feb 2025), and the first to adopt the Task Force Model (Jun 24, 2025)
Mandatory legislation — NOW LAW (HB2219/SB2223):
- Passed House 74-22 and Senate April 22–23, 2026; transmitted to Gov. Bill Lee May 9
- Gov. Lee signed HB2219 into law ~May 10, 2026 — the first statewide 287(g) mandate of its kind in the nation
- Requires all 95 county sheriffs to enter a 287(g) agreement (JEM, WSO, or TFM tier of their choosing) by Jan 1, 2027, or risk loss of state grant funding
- At session start only ~2 counties participated voluntarily; an earlier-session incentive program pushed that to ~70 agencies; the mandate now forces the remaining ~25
- Strips local discretion previously guaranteed under the voluntary program; converts every county jail into a de facto immigration enforcement arm
National context:
- Tennessee is now among the top 5 states for 287(g) expansion (alongside TX, NC, WI, VA)
- Federal $14 billion in incentives offered nationwide for local agency participation
Sources
- Data: More than 50 Tennessee agencies partnering with ICE in 2026 (WSMV, Jan 6, 2026)
- Tennessee passes sweeping immigration law (WPLN News, 2025)
- Tennessee partnerships with ICE multiply (Tennessee Lookout, Nov 2025)
- Tennessee considers 287(g) enforcement program (Nashville Banner, Jan 2025)
- Centralized Immigration Enforcement Division (TN.gov)
- Tennessee’s new immigration law criminalizes sanctuary votes (Belmont Law, Apr 2025)
- New immigration bill requires local law enforcement to cooperate with ICE (Fox 17)
- Tennessee Gov. Lee Signs HB2219 Making All 95 County Sheriffs Join 287(g) — First State Mandate of Its Kind (Capture Cascade Timeline, May 10, 2026)
- A model for the nation? Tennessee GOP ushers in sweeping ‘Immigration 2026’ agenda (Tennessee Lookout, Apr 29, 2026)