Encouraged by state and local legislators, US representative Andy Ogell repeated a call to investigate Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell and stated that the mayor prevented immigration operations and customs applications in early May.
Nashville was removed weeks from the immigration operation during the week, during which ICE and the Tennessee Highway Patrol made 468 traffic stops and arrested nearly 200 immigrants. The ice breaks were concentrated in southern Nashville, in the neighborhoods around Nlensville Pike and Harding a place with a large population of immigrants and Latin American residents.
Ogles’ call to investigate O’Connell is not new – he called on two Congress Committees, the Judiciary Committee and the Internal Security Committee, to open investigations from the mayor and other urban officials during a briefing by the Ministry of Homeland Security of Capitol on May 14.
On the day of memory in the State of Tennessee, Oglles rejected along the presidential administrations to leave a “flood of illegals” in the country and described a visit to Sekot, a prison in Salvador, where the Trump administration sends suspected members of criminal bands Tren de Aragua and MS-13. He also shook a list of crimes related to undocumented immigrants in Nashville, several of which were arrested as part of the recent operation of the DVS.
“When the mayor stands up and defends these types of persons over our hardworking law enforcement-inner security, ice, THP, sheriff and city department chooses criminals over Tennessee,” Ogels said.
In a social media publication, after the press conference, Ogul explained that he was looking for the following documents and communications as part of the investigation:
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The recent amendment to the executive order 30, which requires urban departments to inform the mayor’s office within a specified period after communication with the federal immigration bodies, which OGLES called an “outrage Directive”.
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Any internal discussions or documents regarding ice application actions in Nashville or Davidson.
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All correspondence involving city officials and related non -governmental organizations on arrest or detention of undocumented immigrants in the city or county.
“If you are helping violent gangs to destroy Tennessee by preventing ice – you belong behind bars,” Ogles said.
Until O’Connell had deviated from the criticism of the ice arrests, he said he had previously understood that the city’s hands were bound when it came to federal immigration operations and had previously told reporters that the amended order would not allow his service to publish operations like this.
Who else speaks during the Ogles press conference?
Ogels joined several Republican MPs, including Senator Jack Johnson, reporter Lee Reeves (R-Franklin), rep. Gino Bulso (R-Brentwood) and Reporter Kip Caps (R-Summertown). Until she was present, Senator Marsha Blackburn also sent a letter to support the event accusing Democrats of “demonization” of law enforcement.
As many of them spoke, the protesters collided with windows and called chants that continued throughout the press conference.
Metro council member Nashville David Benton was the only local employee who spoke during the event. Benton is a region of 28, which includes part of an antioch where recent ice surgery was concentrated.
In part, Benton said he supported legal immigration, but called it a “cruel” for urban officers to encourage undocumented immigrants to remain in the country, “as if they can protect them in some false claim against ice application.”
Benton also calls for an investigation into his own – he wants a state or federal audit of the affiliation Fund, launched by the Middle Tennessee Community Foundation on May 5. According to the Executive Director of the Community Foundation Hal Cato, the Fund aims to support the costs of child and transport care and to turn to the uncertainty of housing accommodation and nutritional uncertainty for immigrant families.
Early O’Connell clarified that the city itself could not contribute to the fund, and that the fund would not support immigration legal services.
Benton, on the day of memory, said he wanted to “clarify whether the funds inadvertently support and violate” the federal law against the adherence of undocumented immigrants. He called on O’Connell to choose between “criminals or innocent taxpayers.”
“Stop making fun of Memory Day,” Benton said. “Protect Nashville, protect Tennessee, protect this country, and stop the invasion.”
Austin Hornbosttel is a Tennessee subway reporter. You have a question about the local government you want an answer to? Get to it ahornbostel@tennessean.comS
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This article originally appeared in Nashville Tenesin: Reporter Andy Ogell calls for a probe at Nashville Mayor over the ice operation