LEBANON, TENNESSEE — U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn said Tuesday that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will not move forward with plans to build a large immigrant detention facility in Wilson County, marking the latest reversal in a week of shifting announcements.
Blackburn posted on X that ICE had abandoned plans for a proposed “mega center” that could have held up to 16,000 detainees. The facility was reportedly under consideration in Lebanon, a city of about 51,000 located roughly 30 miles east of Nashville.
The proposal sparked widespread opposition from local leaders and residents, including Wilson County Mayor Randall Hutto, Lebanon Mayor Rick Bell, and other Republican officials who said they were caught off guard by the initial reports. At a recent Wilson County Commission meeting, hundreds of residents spoke against the project. On Tuesday, 24 of 25 commissioners signed a resolution opposing the detention center.
Similar pushback has occurred in other Republican-led states. ICE recently scrapped plans for a detention center in New Hampshire after intervention from Gov. Kelly Ayotte, and a proposed site in Mississippi was also halted following opposition from congressional leaders.
Blackburn thanked Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, writing that she appreciated efforts to find “the best possible location” to support ICE enforcement operations.
Neither ICE nor the Department of Homeland Security immediately confirmed the decision.
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