Additional Middle Tennessee cities notified about possible migrants

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - More Middle Tennessee cities have been notified about migrants possibly moving to the area after they are released from Department of Homeland Security custody.

WSMV4 first uncovered a letter from DHS to the City of Franklin last week. It said 573 people from Guatemala, Venezuela, Honduras and Mexico planned on moving to Nashville and the surrounding area.

The letter specifically mentioned Davidson County, Murfreesboro and Franklin, but Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell said they haven’t been contacted by DHS.

Murfreesboro officials said they have now received notices from DHS about, “the intended destinations of noncitizens who have been processed at the Southwest border.”

The Murfreesboro spokesperson said they have not seen an “immediate impact” of migrants, but they are monitoring the situation.

With local, state and federal officials asking questions about when and how the migrants could be coming to the Midstate after the WSMV4 report, many viewers reported seeing a fleet of buses possibly carrying immigrants at a Brentwood hotel.

Brentwood officials said they had not received a letter from DHS. After hearing rumors of the buses, city leaders began to investigate. They found it was just part a bus driver training program that had people staying at the hotel.

Senators Bill Hagerty and Marsha Blackburn have also sent letters to the DHS secretary demanding answers about the migrants.

“At minimum, Tennesseans deserve to know the full details about when these immigrants are moving to Tennessee, how many will be arriving, and the extent of their vetting,” the letter said.

A spokesperson for Sen. Hagerty added in a statement, “in one September week alone, nearly 600 migrants planned to resettle in the Nashville area, which Senator Hagerty believes begs questions like: What about the rest of the state? How many migrants have been resettled in Tennessee in the 158 weeks since Biden took office?”

Gov. Bill Lee traveled to Texas over the weekend for a meeting with other Republican governors that have sent national guard members to the southern border. Tennessee currently has 125 troops in Texas and Lee committed to deploying two more waves.

“Each one of us understand the devastating effects that the border policy has had on every one of our states individually,” Lee said. “We’re here together to collaboratively work to support Texas, and to provide for the safety and security of people all across the country.”

The letter from Homeland Security said it doesn’t transport people or track where they go after being released from custody, so there is no way to know exactly how many people are coming to Middle Tennessee or when they will arrive.

WSMV4 reached out to a DHS spokesperson after learning about the Murfreesboro migrant notification. We are still waiting for a response.