(The Center Square) – The Department of Homeland Security is not considering an immigration detention facility in Lebanon, Tenn., but is moving forward with plans for two in Georgia.
Homeland Security told The Center Square the department has been working with U.S. Sen Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., who supported Lebanon officials.
“Secretary Noem aims to work with officials on both sides of the aisle to expand detention space to help ICE law enforcement carry out the largest deportation effort in American history,” an email from Homeland Security to The Center Square says. “Senator Blackburn has been a strong partner in securing our border and supporting law enforcement efforts to remove public safety threats. We look forward to continuing our work together.”
Lebanon Mayor Rick Bell said the town was not the place for a detention facility.
“As a conservative Republican, I believe we should have a secure border,” Bell said in a social media post. “However, other than the Wilson County Jail, Lebanon, Tennessee, is not the place for any type of correctional facility – ICE or otherwise.”
Federal officials also received pushback on a facility located in Mason, Tenn. Residents of the town of about 1,200, located 30 minutes from Memphis, protested the opening of an ICE facility there in August.
Mason Mayor Eddie Noeman pitched the deal with ICE as a way to generate revenue for the city. The West Tennessee Detention Facility is overseen by private prison contractor CoreCivic.
Homeland Security has purchased facilities in the Georgia towns of Social Circle and Flowery Branch.
Social Circle residents and officials have repeatedly said they oppose the facility there.
“To be clear, the city has repeatedly communicated that it does not have the capacity or resources to accommodate this demand, and no proposal presented to date has demonstrated otherwise,” city officials said in an update last week. “The Department of Homeland Security has stated that an economic impact study has been conducted in connection with this proposed facility; however, city officials have not received a copy of that study and are awaiting the opportunity to review the analysis.”
Money for new ICE detention facilities was included in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act passed by Congress last year. Homeland Security received a total of $165 million, the department said.
Democrats are refusing to fund ICE unless there are reforms in a partial shutdown that began Feb. 14. They want to ban Homeland Security agents from wearing masks, tracking protestors, or entering private property without a judicial warrant, in addition to an immigration court warrant.