Nashville Sheriff Claims Exemption from State Immigration Enforcement Law
Nashville’s sheriff says city attorneys determined his department is exempt from new state law requiring cooperation with ICE due to lack of POST certification.
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE — Nashville-Davidson County Sheriff Daron Hall asserts his department is exempt from new Tennessee legislation requiring all sheriffs to enter agreements with federal immigration authorities, based on a legal review by city attorneys.
The Tennessee Legislature passed a measure mandating every sheriff in the state enter 287(g) agreements with Immigration and Customs Enforcement to enforce federal immigration law. Governor Bill Lee is expected to sign the legislation into law.
“Metro Legal advised me (that) the newly passed legislation regarding immigration enforcement does not apply to the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office,” Hall said in an emailed statement.
POST Certification Creates Legal Loophole
The exemption stems from language added late in the legislative process requiring only sheriffs certified with the Tennessee Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission, or POST Commission, to enter the federal agreements.
Hall lacks POST certification, a designation typically sought by officers engaged in law enforcement and agency leaders. The Nashville-Davidson County Sheriff’s Department primarily operates the county’s jails and serves warrants rather than performing traditional law enforcement duties.
Hall oversees 1,000 employees and five jails in one of Tennessee’s largest sheriff’s departments.
Existing Federal Cooperation Continues
Despite the exemption claim, Hall stated his department maintains ongoing cooperation with federal immigration officials. In the past 12 months, 632 individuals arrested on local criminal charges were transferred from Nashville jails into ICE custody, according to the sheriff.
The 287(g) program allows local law enforcement agencies to enter partnerships with ICE to identify and process immigrants in the country illegally who are arrested for local crimes.
Statewide Implementation Expected
The legislation represents a significant expansion of immigration enforcement cooperation across Tennessee’s 95 counties. Most Tennessee sheriffs are POST-certified and would be required to comply with the new mandate once Governor Lee signs the bill.
The measure passed both chambers of the Republican-controlled Tennessee Legislature during the 2026 session. Supporters argued the requirement would enhance public safety by ensuring consistent cooperation with federal immigration authorities statewide.
Nashville’s unique governmental structure as a consolidated metropolitan government may have contributed to the different operational model for its sheriff’s department compared to traditional county sheriff’s offices throughout Tennessee.
