ICE to Establish National Call Center for Unaccompanied Migrant Children

Sat Nov 08 2025 04:00:34 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

In a move to bolster efforts in locating unaccompanied migrant children, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) plans to open a national call center in Nashville, Tennessee, capable of handling thousands of calls daily. This initiative is part of a broader immigration strategy amid substantial government spending on border security.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has revealed plans to launch a national call center in Nashville, Tennessee, aimed at assisting local and state law enforcement in locating unaccompanied migrant children. With an expected capacity of 6,000 to 7,000 calls daily, the center is anticipated to be operational by June. This development comes alongside significant government investment in border security, with an emphasis on immigration enforcement and partnerships with local agencies. ICE is also seeking vendors capable of transporting detainees in Texas, reflecting an intensified focus on immigration enforcement under the current administration.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has announced plans to open a national call center aimed at assisting local and state law enforcement agencies in locating unaccompanied migrant children who have entered the country illegally. This initiative was outlined in a federal contracting document released this week.

The call center, which ICE has described as having an 'immediate need,' will be located in Nashville, Tennessee, and is expected to handle between 6,000 to 7,000 calls daily. The target is to have the facility operational by June, following a commencement at the end of March. The agency is actively seeking vendors who can provide technology solutions to enhance call efficiency.

In coordination with the establishment of the call center, ICE is also exploring options for vendors capable of transporting a large volume of detainees across Texas. This is particularly relevant as a new Texas state law mandates that all counties with jails form partnerships with ICE effective next year.

The push for the call center is part of a broader strategy by the Trump administration, which has allocated approximately $170 billion to immigration and border security enforcement, including increased partnerships with local and state law enforcement agencies.

This new focus on unaccompanied minors comes amid a surge of children crossing the U.S.-Mexico border in recent years, prompting federal actions aimed at tightening scrutiny over their sponsors and the processes involved in their care. As of July, around 2,000 unaccompanied children were reported to be in government custody.

The ICE proposal for the Nashville call center did not specify the rationale behind the location. Notably, Nashville is home to CoreCivic Inc., one of the U.S.'s largest private detention contractors, which has a history of investing in GOP campaigns and benefiting from a rise in ICE contracts.

As the agency prepares to implement these measures, the Department of Homeland Security has not responded to requests for comment on the developments.