On the evening of October 24, 2025, the streets of Nashville and the Twin Cities found themselves at the crossroads of growing federal power and local rights. As Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, private security guards, and police officers took up their posts across American cities, concerned citizens and activists alike began asking pressing questions: Who are these people wielding authority, and what are your rights when you encounter them?
According to a detailed guide published by the Nashville Banner, more than 1,000 sworn officers serve on the Metro Nashville Police Department, while hundreds of private security guards patrol the city’s famed Lower Broadway honky tonks and other establishments each night. But the most unpredictable encounters, the guide warns, may come from federal immigration agents—especially under the Trump administration, which has dramatically ramped up ICE operations across the country.
ICE agents, unlike local police, don’t always make their presence obvious. The Nashville Banner notes that agents may appear in tactical gear, plainclothes, or even jackets labeled with "Department of Homeland Security (DHS)," "Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)," or "Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO)." Sometimes, they wear masks to conceal their identities. "If they’re coming without any sort of uniform, faces covered, unwilling to identify themselves, say which agency they’re from, I think that that is the most terrifying situation," Allen Shao King of the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition told the Nashville Banner. "You really can’t tell if it’s an actual ICE agent or someone impersonating an ICE agent, to take advantage of the moment."
Despite ICE’s official stance that all agents carry badges and credentials and will identify themselves when required, King says that’s not always the case in practice. This lack of transparency has become even more concerning as ICE’s presence—and firepower—has grown. According to Popular Information and Reason.com, ICE spent more than $71.5 million on small arms, ordnance, and related accessories between January 20 and October 18, 2025—a staggering 636 percent increase compared to the same period in 2024. One bulk purchase in late September alone topped $9 million, nearly matching the agency’s entire small arms spending from the previous year.
This arsenal isn’t just for show. ICE’s expanded resources have been used against both immigrants and American citizens protesting President Trump’s mass deportation campaign. In cities like Los Angeles, Chicago, and Portland, ICE agents have deployed chemical weapons, including pepper-balls, against demonstrators. These tactics have not gone unnoticed. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Illinois filed a lawsuit accusing federal officers of "extreme brutality" meant to "silence the press and civilians." On October 6, U.S. District Judge Sara L. Ellis issued a temporary restraining order limiting agents’ use of non-lethal weapons in Chicago, later expanding it to require body cameras during protest engagements.
Meanwhile, in the Twin Cities, activists are mobilizing in response to the visit of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who now leads the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) under President Trump. As reported by the Sahan Journal, Noem’s scheduled remarks at the federal Whipple Building—home to Minnesota’s Immigration Court and an ICE office—have sparked plans for rallies and a press conference. The Whipple Building has become a flashpoint for community concerns, especially after a series of high-profile enforcement actions. In early October, ICE arrested a crew of roofers from El Salvador and Honduras in St. Paul’s North End, prompting local protests. Weeks earlier, the agency announced "Operation Twin Shield," involving 900 site visits and interviews to crack down on alleged immigration fraud, uncovering 275 suspected cases.
These developments are part of a larger trend. Under President Trump, ICE’s budget, personnel, and surveillance technology have all surged. A September executive order designating "Antifa" a domestic terrorist organization has given ICE and other federal agencies new latitude to investigate protestors—many of whom are American citizens exercising their First Amendment rights. Critics worry that ICE agents, now armed with military-grade equipment, are not adequately trained for the urban environments and civil unrest they are being tasked to police. Gil Kerlikowske, former commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection under Barack Obama, told NPR, "They do not have the training or the skillset or experience to police an urban environment." These concerns only deepened after NBC News reported that ICE has fast-tracked the training of recruits with disqualifying criminal records and insufficient qualifications.
With federal agents increasingly present and sometimes indistinguishable from local law enforcement or private security, the question of identification—and the limits of their authority—has never been more urgent. The Nashville Banner offers practical advice for those who may find themselves face-to-face with ICE or other law enforcement. First and foremost: "Regardless of your immigration or citizenship status, you have constitutional rights." The ACLU and National Immigrant Justice Center recommend carrying documentation if you are a citizen or have lawful status and advise undocumented individuals to remain silent. If ICE knocks on your door, you are not required to open it unless they present a warrant signed by a judge—ICE warrants, which are signed by the agency itself, do not grant the authority to enter your home without consent.
When it comes to private security guards, Tennessee law requires them to be clearly identifiable, typically with uniforms or badges displaying their company’s name and the word "security"—not "police." However, a recent case involving Solaren Risk Management, one of the state’s largest private security firms, showed that the rules can get murky. The Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance fined Solaren $64,000 for outfitting employees in police-style uniforms and badges, a violation of state law. Still, off-duty police officers working private security are allowed to wear their police uniforms if they also display a special patch, approved by the Tennessee Peace Officers Standards and Training Commission in March 2025, signifying their role as private security.
The powers of private security guards are limited. They can enforce private property rules and, under state law, detain individuals if they have probable cause to believe a crime is being committed—essentially making a citizen’s arrest. But they do not have the same authority as sworn police officers.
For those unsure whether they are dealing with a police officer, the Nashville Banner points out that Metro Nashville Police officers are required to display their credentials upon request, unless doing so would jeopardize an ongoing investigation. The same goes for state troopers with the Tennessee Highway Patrol.
Finally, when confronted by any law enforcement officer, it’s important to remember your rights: the right to remain silent, the right to refuse consent to searches, and the right to a lawyer if arrested. As the ACLU advises, "If you wish to exercise that right, say so out loud." If you are stopped, calmly ask if you are under arrest or free to leave. If you’re free to go, you can leave. If you’re arrested, you have the right to know why. And if you believe your rights have been violated, you can file a complaint or contact a civil rights organization.
As federal enforcement grows in scope and power, ordinary Americans are left to navigate a complex landscape of authority, rights, and responsibilities—often with little clarity. Knowing how to identify those in power, and what to do when confronted, has never been more crucial.
