Knox Jail Sees Increase in Immigration Detainees - Articles

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Posted by: Azya Thornton on Jun 4, 2025

The Knox County Sheriff’s Office nearly doubled its number of immigration detainees in May compared with January, marking the second consecutive month the jail has held more than 300 people on immigration-related matters, according to Knox News. The increase was driven in part by a surge in arrests in Middle Tennessee by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Last month, ICE and the Tennessee Highway Patrol conducted 468 traffic stops and made 200 arrests in Nashville and surrounding areas. The Knox County Sheriff's Office partners with the federal government to detain those arrested in other counties. The Knox County Jail reported 303 immigration detainees in May, including a single-day high of 53 on May 9.