Last week, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security took to social media, accusing Nashville Democrats of supposedly “protecting illegal immigrants and gang members at the expense of their constituents.”
These claims have prompted Nashville’s Democratic Mayor, Freddie O’Connell, to amplify his strategies against immigration enforcement, as he collaborates with left-leaning activists to establish a warning network for undocumented individuals.
“Nashville’s mayor seems to safeguard more illegal immigrants and gang members than his own constituents,” DHS stated on May 29.
“With our ICE officers encountering a staggering 413% rise in assaults, Mayor O’Connell appears to be undermining law enforcement’s efforts to remove criminally present foreigners from the city.”
The message coincided with a Newmax video featuring the Deputy Secretary of DHS, highlighting O’Connell’s recent decisions that seemed to obstruct federal law enforcement.
“It looks like Mayor O’Connell is involved in some obstruction or facilitating criminal activity within the Nashville area. They labeled it a mistake, but I find that hard to believe; it clearly has consequences,” McLaughlin asserted.
“Our ICE officers are already faced with a 400% surge in attacks, and it appears that [O’Connell] is essentially sharing intelligence with criminal gangs, which is, quite frankly, unacceptable. It’s a serious issue in Nashville, and I hope he faces repercussions,” she added.
Indeed, repercussions may be on the horizon for O’Connell. This past Monday, the House Judiciary and Homeland Security Committees initiated an investigation into whether he violated federal immigration laws by allegedly aiding criminals to evade law enforcement.
Representatives Jim Jordan (R-OH), Mark Green (R-TN), Tom McClintock (R-CA), and Andy Ogles (R-TN) accused progressive Democrats of implementing various city strategies to obstruct ICE operations, thereby hindering cooperation agreements with undocumented individuals and sidestepping local law enforcement collaboration.
Tennessee Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn has called for federal scrutiny of O’Connell’s actions.
“I believe Attorney General Pam Bondy should look into what’s unfolding here. It jeopardizes lives and places their families in danger. The voters of Tennessee have overwhelmingly supported measures to tackle crime and secure borders. We need to remove individuals engaging in criminal activity,” she remarked.
