Wilson County Commission passes resolution opposing proposed federal immigration detention facility near Lebanon

The Wilson County Commission on March 16 adopted Resolution 26‑3‑4 expressing formal opposition to a proposed federal immigration detention facility near Lebanon.

Commissioner Denton said he would "gladly sign this resolution" and emphasized he took no issue with the underlying rationale but wanted to note he had not been aware of the resolution prior to recent meetings. Commissioner Gentry said he had not signed the resolution and made that known. Several commissioners thanked staff and law enforcement for their response to a previous high‑attendance meeting and said they felt safer because deputies were professional during the event.

Some commissioners framed their votes around local concerns about unemployment, workforce recruitment and the county’s structural capacity to host large public meetings. Commissioner Franklin said the facility could disrupt local recruitment of other businesses and strain law enforcement resources. After brief discussion, the commission approved the resolution by recorded vote of 23 yes, 1 no.

Why it matters: the non‑binding resolution communicates the county’s position to federal authorities and signals community concerns about a proposed facility’s local impacts on public safety, the labor market and county services.

What’s next: the resolution expresses the commission’s formal opposition; the transcript does not record federal responses or next steps beyond the passage of the resolution.

Quoted: "I would gladly sign this resolution... I just want the Wilson County to know," Commissioner Denton said. Commissioner Gentry noted he did not sign the resolution. The clerk recorded the passage as "23 yes, 1 no."

Ending: The commission approved the resolution and moved on to a set of budget and appropriation items.