Nashville is expected to see an uptick in ICE activity starting in September, with assistance from National Guard troops who will be deployed in administrative “support roles.”
The Tennessee Lookout first reported on the mobilization of the National Guard. The Scene recently obtained what appears to be one page taken from an internal Tennessee National Guard document that details the orders.
The document is dated July 30, 2025, and marked “CUI,” or “controlled unclassified information." It states that the 1-181st Field Artillery Regiment (FAR), based out of Chattanooga, will deploy to Nashville's Department of Homeland Security facility on Brick Church Park Drive beginning in September. FAR is set to assist with “case management, logistical support, and clerical support of the in-processing and out-processing of illegal aliens in Nashville, TN to allow ICE to dedicate trained agents to core law enforcement activities, enhancing overall effectiveness."
The “projected tour of duty” is Sept. 1 to Dec. 15, “with a possible extension" through the end of the year. Soldiers will be activated under “Title 32 active duty status (Mobilization Authority TBD) and will NOT be in State Active Duty.”
Soldiers who live within 50 miles of the DHS facility will be prioritized for the mission, which according to the document will “perform strictly non-law enforcement duties within ICE facilities.” They will be “specifically prohibited from direct contact with individuals in ICE custody or involvement in any aspect of the custody chain.”
When contacted for comment by email, the Tennessee Military Department's joint public affairs director Capt. Kealy Moriarty would not specifically verify the authenticity of the document, but did not dispute its details. Moriarty noted that soldiers’ work in assisting ICE at “processing facilities within the state” will consist of “data entry, case management, and logistical support.”
“The Tennessee National Guard regularly works alongside local, state, and federal agencies in support roles throughout the year, and this assistance reflects our commitment to interagency partnerships,” Moriarty told the Scene on Aug 12.
Moriarty also declined to say how many troops will take part in the mission or if — regardless of their administrative duties — they will be armed. “Planning is currently underway, and we will continue to coordinate with our state and federal agencies to determine how best we can support this request,” she said.
At an Aug. 13 press conference, the Scene asked Gov. Bill Lee what Tennesseans should expect to see with immigration enforcement in the streets of Nashville and other cities. He provided little insight.
“Obviously, the operations of ICE are federal operations so we don't plan those, so I can't speak to what will happen over the next year as it relates to those operations from ICE, other than the fact that we will be a willing partner,” Lee said. “We want to work with them to make sure that we remove criminals from our streets.”
ICE declined to provide any details on what its operations in Nashville will look like throughout the remainder of 2025, including how many agents will take part in the operation.
“As ICE rapidly grows, we’re coordinating with DHS and our federal partners including DOD and the Tennessee National Guard to support transportation and logistics at our facilities across Tennessee,” an ICE spokesperson said. “This unified approach ensures we’re fully equipped to carry out our expanding mission.”
ICE is set to see unprecedented growth following the increase of its annual budget from $8.7 billion to $27.7 billion with the passage of President Donald Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill.”
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“What the people in Nashville will see is obviously more individuals and more agents, but they'll also see more training and equipment,” said DHS Secretary Kristi Noem during a July press conference in Nashville. “We'll see more investigative tools that will be able to be utilized. My hope is that we also get the chance to work with the Department of Justice to get more immigration judges.”
While specific enforcement details are unclear, the National Guard document highlights ongoing public outcry over immigration enforcement actions throughout the state.
“This mission is closely monitored by media and actors determined to cast our forces in a bad light,” the document reads. “We will ALWAYS maintain understanding of what optics our actions present and will always maintain military bearing.”
This mobilization comes as Lee is deploying more than 160 soldiers to Washington, D.C., a move made by several Republican governors in support of Trump’s federal takeover of D.C. and the city’s alleged “crime emergency.”
Mayor Freddie O’Connell’s office did not return a request for comment when asked if the city has been in communication with state or federal agencies regarding new immigration operations. The mayor and his office have been a political target of state and federal Republicans since ICE’s Nashville immigration sweeps in May.
