Tennessee National Guard Anticipated To Begin Assisting Nashville ICE In September

Image Credit: 1-181^st Field Artillery Regiment / Facebook

The Tennessee Conservative [By Olivia Lupia] –

Starting September 1, Nashville can expect to see national guardsmen arriving to provide administrative and support roles to the capitol city’s Department of Homeland Security (DHS) office.  

Based on a document dated July 30, the 1-181^st Field Artillery Regiment (FAR) out of Chattanooga will deploy to the Nashville DHS facility 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 initial timeframe has the guardsmen in Nashville from Sep. 1- Dec. 15, with a possible extension to the end of the year, and soldiers living within 50 miles of the DHS facility will be prioritized. 

The document also reiterates that soldiers participating in this mission will perform strictly non-law enforcement duties and focus only on administrative and logistical tasks. Soldiers will also be prohibited from direct contact with any individuals in the ICE chain of custody.

Furthermore, it appears the agency is already considering left-wing and anti-ICE sentiments as it acknowledges this mission, “is closely monitored by media and actors determined to cast our forces in a bad light; we will ALWAYS maintain understanding of what optics our actions present and will always maintain military bearing.”

While not specifically confirming the authenticity of the order, Tennessee Military Department’s joint public affairs director Capt. Kealy Moriarty did say, “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 did not provide the number of troops that would participate in this mission, but stated that, “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,” heavily implying this operation will commence as scheduled in the document.

ICE has also declined to release any further details on what Nashville operations will look like for the remainder of the year but did confirm they will persist in their work across Tennessee as partnerships continue between state and federal agencies.

“As ICE rapidly rows, 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 our expanding mission.”

This Nashville deployment seems to have been in play even before the order recently issued by Gov. Bill Lee deploying the guard to the Washington D.C. to assist the Trump administration in its cleanup and law enforcement efforts in the nation’s capital. 

Though the mission specifications only have the guardsmen in general support roles, come September it would be unsurprising to see backlash from leftist community members and leaders as Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell and other Democrats have been continually and publicly antagonistic towards immigration enforcement operations and agencies in the area.

About the Author: Olivia Lupia is a political refugee from Colorado who now calls Tennessee home. A proud follower of Christ, she views all political happenings through a Biblical lens and aims to utilize her knowledge and experience to educate and equip others. Olivia is an outspoken conservative who has run for local office, managed campaigns, and been highly involved with state & local GOPs, state legislatures, and other grassroots organizations and movements. Olivia can be reached at olivia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.