KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The number of people held as immigration detainees inside the Knox County Jail has sharply increased over the past year, according to research from a University of Tennessee professor who tracks local detention data.
“What we’ve seen is a dramatic increase in the last year, especially in terms of numbers of people who are being held in the Knox County jail on suspicion of immigration violations,” Dr. Meghan Conley, an assistant professor of practice at UT, said. She also serves as the Director of Community Partnerships for the department.
Conley, who has studied immigration enforcement for years, said her research shows 821 people were held in the Knox County jail as ICE detainees in 2024. In 2025, that number rose to 3,470…