Image Credit: Sullivan County, TN Sheriff’s Office / Facebook
The Tennessee Conservative [By Olivia Lupia] –
A short Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operation last week led to the detention of almost 30 illegal immigrants with prior criminal history or potential gang ties.
The Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) confirmed the ICE operation began on Feb. 11, with agents also visiting the areas of Bristol and Kingsport.
According to Captain Andy Seabolt, the operation was “focused on removing illegal immigrants that had been identified prior to the operation as potentially having ties to dangerous criminal gangs and those with criminal charges and extensive criminal histories.”
Seabolt also relayed that four of the 29 illegals apprehended had already been previously deported.
The operation’s success was due in part to the SCSO’s participation in the federal 287(g) program’s Warrant Service Officer Program and Task Force Model and since December of 2025.
Under the Warrant Service Officer Program (WSO), “certain agency personnel are certified and authorized to serve administrative warrants on illegal immigrants already in SCSO custody.”
“The Task Force Model (TEM) allows certain trained officers to enforce limited immigration authority while performing routine law enforcement duties and may assist ICE as requested. So, any SCSO vehicles seen during the local ICE operation were there to assist as requested by the federal agency under this method of participation in the 287(g) program,” Seabolt said.
“We had one of our patrol cars there, and that would have just been someone on the task force assisting them,” he added.
SCSO reiterated it does not determine or decide who is classified or entered into lists or databases as an illegal immigrant and the department does not make decisions regarding who is subject to arrest or removal based on immigration status. Those detained are taken to the Sullivan County Jail and ICE then arranges for them to be transported to the appropriate holding facility.
Sullivan County is one of 28 counties in Tennessee participating in the 287(g) program through one of its three prongs as immigration enforcement continues to be a hot topic in the Volunteer State. Reports from the end of 2025 show Tennessee is second only to Texas for illegal alien arrests, and immigration data shows detainer requests are up over 85% since 2024.
Lawmakers have announced intentions to address the issue during this year’s legislative session with a slate of bills developed under the advisement of White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, though conservatives have been pushing the General Assembly to confront the issue for several years to no avail.
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.
2 Responses
Good! A few more of lucifer’s accursed dimmercrap’s darlings out of circulation. Unless dimmercrap “judges” cut them loose.
Really want to make sure that the walk out protest students at Dobyns Bennett HS that made the front page of the Kingsport Times News get recognized for supporting these criminals, while claiming ICE surrounded their school and kidnapped families and children in the tri cities. Can’t imagine why anyone would want a “universal choice” scholarship to escape the public schools. Too bad they only have a 2% chance of getting one.