The Donelson area in Nashville is listed as the site of a planned support center for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement as of Aug. 20, according to information in a federal contract database.
The database shows the U.S. Department of Homeland Security awarded Koniag Services Inc. a $63 million contract to provide support for a national ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations coordination center. The planned support center was first tabbed for Adams, Tennessee, the Tennessee Lookout reported.
But as of Aug. 20, the location had been updated to the 37214 ZIP code, which covers Donelson. The contract database does not list a specific address.
The planned center would support ICE's partnerships with local sheriffs and police departments, according
to the contract database. A new state law requires Tennessee sheriff's offices to enter into these sorts of partnerships, called 287(g) agreements.
An ICE spokesperson declined to confirm the new office location citing a "coordinated campaign of violence" against immigration officers.
"Every day, DHS is conducting law enforcement activities across the country to keep Americans safe," the spokesperson said. "It should not come as news that ICE will be making arrests and ensuring we have resources to carry out President Trump’s mission.”
A spokesperson for Mayor Freddie O'Connell said the mayor's office "is still in the process of getting a consistent depiction of what is planned."
ICE had plans for a call center in the former federal courthouse downtown last year, but they were scrapped when the federal government sold the building.
This story will be updated.
Have questions about the justice system? Evan Mealins is the justice reporter for The Tennessean. Contact him with questions, tips or story ideas at emealins@tennessean.com.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Federal contract lists Nashville for planned ICE support center
