TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Azya Thornton on Nov 12, 2025

Immigrant rights advocates and the ACLU of Tennessee are raising concerns over a new Knoxville Police Department (KPD) policy that directs officers to detain individuals flagged by federal immigration databases for up to 20 minutes while waiting for Immigration and Customs Enforcement to respond. The change follows a 2024 state law requiring local law enforcement to cooperate with federal immigration agencies, but critics say the mandate is vague, risks constitutional violations and erodes trust between police and immigrant communities, Knox News reports. KPD says the policy complies with state law and limits detentions to a “reasonable amount of time.” City officials also argue that the 20-minute window prevents people from being held for hours as seen in other jurisdictions.