Wilson County Mayor: ICE eyes immigrant detention ‘mega center’ in Lebanon to house up to 16,000

By: Anita Wadhwani

Outlets: Tennessee Lookout

Published: February 23, 2026

Words: 684

Last Updated: 2 weeks, 4 days ago

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In a public note to residents of Wilson County late Friday, County Mayor Randall Hutto said U.S Immigration and Naturalization Services is considering the City of Lebanon for a “mega center” to hold between 14,000 and 16,000 immigrant detainees from Tennessee and surrounding states.

The proposed facility would employ 4,000 people year-round and be “the largest of its kind in the United States,” Hutto wrote. The size and scope “raise serious safety concerns,” he …

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