ICE and Tennessee Highway Patrol Collaborate to Arrest People in Traffic Stops

In Nashville, Tennessee Highway Patrol collaborated with Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Homeland Security Investigations to make about 150 traffic stops and arrest 84 people.

THP called it a “public safety operation” targeted in “areas with a history of serious traffic crashes and suspected gang activity.” ICE claimed to be detaining illegal immigrants with a criminal history who threaten public safety and can be deported. ICE said detainees included people with criminal convictions and pending criminal charges. They did not release the names of people arrested, so their claims could not be checked. At other places ICE has made similar claims when a large majority of those detained had clean records.

Traffic stops were reportedly for minor infractions such as tinted windows or broken tail lights. The location of the operation was in the heart of an area where many immigrants and refugees live.

Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell said:

This is a tough one, because what we saw over the weekend was actions that happened on state routes with no coordination with local officials. So yes, I continue to be concerned about the mechanism for these actions, and I think what they’ve demonstrated is that they can occur at times and locations of their choosing without our involvement.

He also said:

The trauma inflicted on families is long-lasting, and I’m doing everything in my power consistent with applicable law to protect anyone who calls Nashville home. What’s clear today is that people who do not share our values of safety and community have the authority to cause deep community harm.

No MNPD personnel was involved in last night’s enforcement action. MNPD has no federal immigration authority, is not trained to conduct immigration enforcement, and lacks access to federal immigration databases.

In January 2025 as Donald Trump was coming into office, Republicans in the Tennessee Legislature passed a law to create a state immigration enforcement office. It includes a $5 million office inside the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security. Governor Bill Lee (R) will be able to use this to create incentives for local police departments to contract with the federal government regarding immigration enforcement.

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