County law enforcement outlined plans to participate in the federal 287(g) jail enforcement model. Officials said the county has a memorandum of agreement and will nominate approximately five deputies (likely supervisors and transport officers) for training that lasts about four weeks and covers in-jail processing and database access to determine immigration status.

Presenters emphasized the 287(g) authority would apply only inside the jail: deputies would be trained to fill out immigration paperwork and process individuals who are arrested and brought to the jail; the program would not authorize officers to perform immigration enforcement in the community. After processing, individuals determined to be unlawfully present could be transported to a regional facility in Chattanooga for further processing.

Officials said they will conduct background checks on nominees before federal acceptance. Training dates are on hold during a federal government shutdown, but state and federal contacts have visited the county and indicated a possible state grant to help purchase a transport van to move detainees to Chattanooga.

Sheriff told commissioners he will return with more detailed arrangements and financial terms, including how long the county may hold individuals post-state sentence and whether the county will be compensated; he said paid holding generally could be for up to 72 hours after a state sentence is complete but that he will not agree to arrangements that would overflow jail capacity.