Dickson County Sheriff Signals Support for 287(g) Immigration Agreement As National Enforcement Debate Intensifies
Dickson, TN — Dickson County Sheriff Tim Eads says his office intends to formally enter a federal immigration enforcement partnership once it clears legal review, placing the county in the middle of a growing national conversation over local cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The announcement came after a public post by Congressman Matt Van Epps highlighting Section 287(g), a federal program allowing trained local law enforcement officers to operate under ICE supervision to identify deportable inmates already in custody.
Van Epps wrote:
“Local law enforcement knows their communities best. That’s why Section 287(g) is critical. By allowing trained state and local officers to work under the direction and oversight of ICE, this partnership helps identify and remove dangerous offenders already in custody, rather than releasing them back into the community.”
In response, Sheriff Eads issued a statement outlining how the Dickson County Sheriff’s Office currently handles immigration matters and what may change moving forward.
“As Dickson County Sheriff, I and my administration support the lawful deportation of criminal illegal aliens. We are a Nation of Laws, and we need to adhere to that consistently. Our current 287(g) MOU is in Legal Department review. We still cooperate with ICE. We submit information on any suspected alien to ICE. If they inform us they have a detainer, we hold them until ICE picks them up. This is the safest and most efficient way to take aliens that are dangerous off our local streets. I fully intend to sign the local 287(g) once it clears Legal.”
What 287(g) Actually Means
Section 287(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act allows local agencies to partner directly with ICE. Deputies who complete federal training can:
Identify inmates who may be deportable
Issue immigration detainers under ICE supervision
Begin removal paperwork while offenders are still in jail
Importantly, the program typically applies only to people already arrested on local or state charges — not street-level immigration enforcement patrols.
Dickson County already cooperates with ICE when the agency places a detainer request on an inmate. The difference under 287(g) is that trained local officers would perform some of the federal screening inside the jail rather than waiting for ICE agents to arrive.
Why This Matters Locally
The issue has become a major policy flashpoint nationwide, with counties across the country deciding whether to expand or limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.
Supporters argue the program targets criminals and keeps repeat offenders from being released.
Critics argue it can create fear in immigrant communities and may blur the line between local policing and federal immigration enforcement.
For Dickson County residents, the change would mostly affect procedures inside the county jail — not day-to-day patrol activity — but could speed up transfers of inmates flagged by federal authorities.
What Happens Next?
The sheriff’s office says the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is currently under legal review. If approved and signed:
Deputies would undergo federal training
ICE screening would happen inside the Dickson County Jail
Deportation processing could begin sooner after arrest
Eads emphasized the county already cooperates with ICE and framed the agreement as a formalization and efficiency measure rather than a new enforcement strategy.
For now, the policy is pending legal clearance — but if finalized, Dickson County would join a growing number of Tennessee jurisdictions participating in the federal partnership.
This story is developing and will be updated as more information becomes available.