SEVIERVILLE — Sevier County Sheriff Michael Hodges confirmed that his agency, along with the Sevierville Police Department, has been aiding U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations. The county’s jail log on Tuesday showed approximately seven people held on immigration charges.

An ICE spokesperson said the partnership with Sevier County, part of the 287(g) program, is “critical to having the resources we need to arrest criminal illegal aliens across the state.” The spokesperson added: “The fact of the matter is those who are in our country illegally have a choice—they can leave the country voluntarily or be arrested and deported. The United States is offering illegal aliens $2,600 and a free flight to self-deport now. We encourage every person here illegally to take advantage of this offer and reserve the chance to come back to the U.S. the right legal way to live American dream. If not, you will be arrested and deported without a chance to return.”

Community advocate and interpreter Michael Anthony Espinoza said he has witnessed a sharp increase in immigration enforcement operations and reports from families whose loved ones have been detained. He said enforcement activity has been observed in areas commonly visited by Hispanic residents, including grocery stores and laundromats. “It's very traumatizing. It's very unsettling. Everybody is not at ease, frightened, definitely scared, intimidated,” he said.

Immigration attorney Rachel Bonanno said her office has received multiple calls describing large-scale enforcement operations in Sevier County. “The enforcement operations do seem to be large scale, larger than normal, and so there is a general sense of fear,” she said. She added that individuals with pending immigration cases could be affected, noting, “There's people who are in process who are being scooped up.”

Bonanno urged immigrants to seek legal guidance before making major decisions, including voluntary departure. “The idea that people can just leave and come back later lawfully is really a case-by-case basis,” she said.