State and National know your rights info, local contacts, law updates, and more.

The following information is provided for informational purposes only and should not be construed as direct legal advice on any subject matter.

The fundamental civil liberty guarantees in the Bill of Rights and the U.S. Constitution protects every person in this country — citizens and non-citizens alike. While the government has power over the country's borders, it must exercise that power fairly and humanely, subject to our constitutional norms and consistent with U.S. obligations under international law.

At ACLU-TN, we work to protect and promote the fair treatment of immigrants in our laws and institutions, and to combat discrimination against Tennessee's immigrant communities.

This resource hub serves as a place to:

  • Learn more about your rights as an immigrant in Tennessee, regardless of status
  • Save and download information to share with loved ones and fellow community members
  • Find support and resources from community partners specializing in immigrant justice.

See below for downloadable and shareable "Know Your Rights in Tennessee" resources. (Updated 9/3/2025)

To learn more about your federal rights, click here. (Multiple languages available)

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ICE Collaboration with Police: 287(g) in Tennessee

What is 287(g), and where is it enforced?

Learn more here.

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OVERVIEW

ICE can delegate immigration enforcement duties to state and local police under a law enacted in 1996 and known as 287(g), after a section of the Immigration and Nationality Act. There are different types of 287(g) models, known as: the Task Force Model, the Jail Enforcement Model, and the Warrant Service Model.

In Tennessee, there are multiple 287(g) authorized agencies, two of which operate statewide -- this means if those officers are trained to enforce immigration law, they can do so where they have jurisdiction. Meanwhile, almost 20 county agencies have their own 287(g) agreements, meaning they can enforce federal immigration laws, or initiate investigations or immigration holds for ICE, in specific contexts in their own jurisdictions.

Most county agencies' 287(g) power is confined to county jails, including serving adminstrative ICE warrants on people in custody and then transporting them to other ICE-designated facilities, except in Putnam County, which has a task force model that allows trained officers to question, detain, and arrest individuals on the street who they may suspect of federal immigration law violations in their jurisdiction.

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THREE TYPES OF 287(g) MODELS

  • Task Force Model: deputizes local officers -- while patrolling the communities they are sworn to protect -- to question, detain, and arrest individuals they suspect of violating federal immigration laws.
  • Jail Enforcement Model: deputizes officers to interrogate incarcerated suspected noncitizens with pending or actual criminal charges to determine their immigration status. Then, deputized officers can issue an administrative hold request from ICE to keep the person up to 48 hours after they would otherwise be released, allowing ICE officers to pick the individual up.
  • Warrant Service Officer Model: ICE deputizes officers to execute ICE administrative warrants within the agency's jails or correctional facilites, but not interrogate alleged noncitizens about their immigration status. As of mid-June 2025, local officers in Tennessee authorized under this 287(g) model can also transport people who they serve warrants on to other ICE-designated facilities. 

IS YOUR COUNTY COLLABORATING WITH ICE?

** NOTE: The Tennessee Department of Corrections (TDOC) has a statewide Jail Enforcement Model, and the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security (TDSHS) has a statewide Task Force Model. 
In other words, if you are stopped by Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) ICE-trained officer anywhere in the state where they have jurisdiction, they can enforce immigration law -- also, if you're in a TDOC prison, ICE-trained officials there could investigate your status. **

 

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS IN TENNESSEE

KYR: Immigration Agents (ICE)

Remain Silent:

  • You have the right to remain silent. You can say the following statement to ICE agents: "I exercise my right to remain silent under the 5th amendment”

Document What's Happening:

  • Take pictures or video of what's happening if able to do so. If not, take mental notes.
  • How many agents are there
  • What are they saying/telling you
  • What type of uniform were they wearing
  • Did they identify themselves

** Note: on July 1, 2025, a new law enforcement “halo” law, T. C. A. § 39-16-602, went into effect, which allows law enforcement officers to prevent individuals from approaching within 25 feet of law enforcement officers conducting official duties and imposes a Class B misdemeanor on anyone who ignores those officers’ orders. Additionally, you cannot assume officers will behave in a way that protects your safety or that they will respect your rights even if you assert them. You may be able to reduce risk to yourself by staying calm and not exhibiting hostility toward the officers. **

    Make a Plan

    • In case you or a loved one is detained. Have a plan ready for yourself and your family.

    • If detained, tell the agents that you want to speak to your lawyer.

      • Note: Under Tennessee law, if people are arrested and booked in local jail, the jailers can send biometric and other personal data (such as fingerprints) to ICE – regardless of whether the city participates in the 287(g) immigration enforcement program. ICE can then use this data to decide whether to investigate or start an enforcement action against somebody

    DO NOT:

    • DO NOT sign any documents
    • DO NOT open the door. Without opening the door, ask the ICE agents if they have a judicial warrant. Ask them to slide it under the door.
      • If the agents are not using aggressive force to enter your property and remove you, they may try to use an administrative warrant (i.e. a warrant signed by a representative of an administrative agency – such as ICE, DHS, USCIS, or CBP, an immigration judge or immigration court – but not by a judicial court, or a federal or state court judge or magistrate). THIS IS NOT A JUDICIAL WARRANT, and you do not need to consent to allow ICE to enter your home with it.
      • Administrative warrants are not signed by a federal or state court judge – a judicial warrant must be signed by a judge and have your specific name and address on it

      • shows the difference between an administrative warrant and judicial warrant. Only a judicial warrant signed by a judge allows entry and search.
    • DO NOT carry false documents: having false documents is a federal and state crime

    KYR: Local & State Law Enforcement

    police holding american flag, passport, and social security card

    When pulling over:

    • When police turn on their “blue-lights,” you must pull over
    • Find a safe place to pull over, turn off engine, put hands on steering wheel
    • Wait for the officer to approach you

    Items Requested:

    • The police officer will ask the driver for the following three things during a traffic stop. You must hand these to the police.
      • Drivers License
      • Registration of the vehicle
      • Car Insurance
    • If you do not have a U.S.-issued driver's license, consult with an immigration attorney about what documentation you can show to verify your identity without triggering scrutiny of your immigration status.

    What to do:

    • Stay Calm
    • If you are driving the car, you must show your driver’s license, registration, and insurance. You do not have to give other information.
    • Keep your hands visible and stay in the car unless the officer tells you otherwise.
    • Be polite, even if the police officer isn’t.
    • Let the officer know if you don’t understand English.
    • If you are not the driver of the car, you may ask if you are free to leave.

    Your Rights:

    • To remain silent
      • You don’t have to give any personal information.
      • You don’t have to answer questions about what happened
      • You don’t have to say ANYTHING about your immigration status (where you were born, how you came to the US, etc). However, there are a few caveats for noncitizens.
        • Legal Permanent Residents over a certain age (18 years or older) do have to carry and show green cards and visas upon request.
        • Noncitizens are required to provide information related to their immigration status if asked by immigration officers. Even in this situation, you have the right to say that you would like to have your lawyer present before answering any questions.
    • To refuse a search
      • If the police ask to search you or your car, you can say "NO," though in some situations the police do not need your consent.
      • If police start to search you or your car without asking, say “I do not consent to a search”
        • A search warrant needs to have your address listed and be signed by a federal or state judge or magistrate. Pay close attention – the warrant may specify specific places to be searched or items to be seized. Be ready to object if officers search areas or seize items beyond what is specified in the warrant.
    • To have a lawyer

    DO NOT:

    • DON’T LIE. Don’t claim to be a citizen if you aren’t. Don’t give explanations, excuses, or stories - just stay quiet.
    • DON'T SIGN any documents that you don't understand.
      • This includes signing voluntary departure forms, such as form I-210. Voluntary Departure is not guaranteed to be more beneficial in removal cases. See an example of the form below:

    form for voluntary departure
    • DON'T DISCUSS your citizenship or immigration status.
    • DON’T RUN or try to drive off. This will cause more trouble and could place you in physical danger.

    Tennessee-Based Immigration Organizations for Resources

    If you are concerned about your rights and status, talk to a qualified and reputable immigration attorney for a full legal screening.

    There are multiple ways to find attorneys and resources statewide. You can search for free or low-cost immigration legal services providers in your area at: www.immigrationadvocates.org/legaldirectory/

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    See the documents below for downloadable and shareable "Know Your Rights in Tennessee" Resources.

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