ICE Considers 16,000-Bed Detention Mega Center in Lebanon, Tennessee

The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is conducting a feasibility study and due diligence for a potential immigrant detention "mega center" in Lebanon, Tennessee. The proposed site along the Highway 109 South Corridor involves two warehouses owned by Earhart Industrial. If constructed, the facility could house between 14,000 and 16,000 detainees and employ 4,000 people, making it potentially the largest facility of its kind in the United States.

The project has been marked by administrative confusion. In mid-February 2026, ICE erroneously informed media outlets that it had already purchased a facility in Lebanon, a statement the agency later retracted, claiming the announcement was sent without proper approval. Similar confusion occurred in Chester, New York, where local officials discovered a potential federal project through media reports and a public floodplain notice.

Local leadership in Lebanon and Wilson County strongly oppose the facility. Mayor Rick Bell and County Mayor Randall Hutto cited insufficient sewer and water infrastructure, as well as safety concerns regarding the site's proximity to schools, churches, and a daycare. While U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn supports ICE's overall mission, she is working with the Department of Homeland Security to find a more proper placement for the facility. Other state leaders, including Representative Clark Boyd, also opposed the location. Conversely, Tennessee House Majority Leader William Lamberth expressed willingness to cooperate with the agency to deport criminal illegal aliens. Local officials noted that the federal government may use sovereign immunity or the Supremacy Clause to override local zoning laws.