The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) responded on Tuesday to public remarks by Nashville’s Democratic Mayor, Freddie O’Connell, claiming that recent collaborative efforts between the Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) and ICE led to nearly 200 arrests of undocumented immigrants.
ICE and THP revealed that 196 immigrants were taken into custody during these operations in Nashville. Among those arrested, over 30 were individuals who had illegally re-entered the U.S., which is a felony under federal law.
DHS officials noted that, despite their success in safeguarding Americans from illegal immigration, Mayor O’Connell’s support for what they call “false claims” has been troublesome. O’Connell suggested that these operations were executed by individuals not aligned with the values of public safety.
In a statement, Tricia McLaughlin, an assistant secretary at DHS, emphasized that civil service workers are focused on removing individuals with violent crime records from communities. She criticized Mayor O’Connell and others advocating more lenient policies towards undocumented immigrants, suggesting that these stances prioritize the protection of illegal aliens over American citizens.
Recently, there have been discussions surrounding a fund initiated by O’Connell intended to provide taxpayer support to undocumented immigrants. DHS reiterated its role in enforcing the law and maintaining partnerships with state and local entities to prevent criminal acts committed by foreign nationals.
One notable arrest during the Nashville operation was Jassim Jafaf al-Raash, a 60-year-old Iraqi national convicted of rape and other serious offenses. Another arrested individual, Franklin Oswald Velazquez from El Salvador, has ties to the notorious MS-13 gang and is wanted for serious crimes back home.
Another arrest involved Inmar Antonio Penado-Membreno, also from El Salvador, who was convicted of drug-related offenses and aggravated assault. Similarly, Richard St. Baptist, who is from Haiti, had been previously convicted of multiple drug-related charges.
Lastly, Carlos Reinaldo Alvarado Rodriguez from Guatemala was recently convicted of aggravated assault. Responses from both DHS and Mayor O’Connell’s office to inquiries from Fox News Digital were not immediately available.
