UPDATE: During the September 11, 2025, Rutherford County Commission meeting, multiple citizens used the public comment period to express opposition to the county’s recently signed 287(g) agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)...

Community members who spoke raised concerns about the impact of the partnership, which allows deputies with the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office to serve immigration-related warrants inside the county jail under the federal Warrant Service Officer model. Speakers stressed fears of community mistrust and long-term consequences for immigrant families in the county.

Despite the public input, it appears that no changes to the agreement were discussed, as the matter was not included on the commission’s agenda. Federal records show that Rutherford County signed the memorandum of understanding on August 28, 2025.

As of now, it appears that the agreement continues to stand, authorizing deputies to execute civil immigration warrants within the detention center while not extending enforcement authority into the broader community.

• Hear soundbites from the past meeting that was held prior to the agreement being signed HERE.

PREVIOUS REPORT: MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Demonstrators are gathering on the downtown square this evening in opposition to the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office (RCSO) partnership with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The protest, organized under the banner “Pack the Courthouse!”, began at 4 p.m. outside the Historic County Courthouse.

Organizers say the demonstration is a direct response to the county’s alleged recently signed 287(g) agreement with ICE, granting deputies authority to serve immigration-related warrants within the county jail. “We will be peacefully demonstrating… to let our officials know the public DOES NOT want our officers performing ICE's dirty work for them,” the group wrote on Instagram.

Background on the Agreement

Federal records confirm that Rutherford County signed the memorandum of understanding (MOU) with ICE on August 28, 2025. Under the agreement, deputies are permitted to execute civil immigration warrants inside the Rutherford County Adult Detention Center. Importantly, the arrangement does not authorize deputies to conduct immigration enforcement outside of the jail.

Sheriff Mike Fitzhugh previously addressed the issue at county meetings, stressing that the agreement does not represent a significant change in how the department already collaborates with ICE. He noted that RCSO has historically coordinated with federal agents within the jail and will not be arresting individuals solely on immigration violations throughout the county.

Public Concerns and Wider Context

Despite those assurances, opponents of the agreement argue that any partnership with ICE fosters fear within immigrant communities. Protesters plan to fill the courthouse during tonight’s 6 p.m. county meeting to make their voices heard.

Across Tennessee, at least 26 law enforcement agencies currently participate in ICE partnership programs. Only a handful — including Putnam County, Sparta Police, and the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security — operate under the more extensive Task Force Model, which allows limited enforcement outside detention centers. Rutherford County’s agreement remains under the narrower Warrant Service Officer model.

For now, it looks as if demonstrators intend to keep the pressure on local officials until the agreement is reconsidered.