www.thecentersquare.com – By Kim Jarrett | The Center Square – (The Center Square – ) 2025-05-30 09:49:00
Two U.S. House committees seek information on Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell’s executive order requiring city employees to report encounters with federal immigration authorities within one business day. The order, expanded after an ICE and Tennessee Highway Patrol operation in May resulting in 196 arrests, has drawn criticism from Rep. Andy Ogles, who accused O’Connell of undermining law enforcement and supporting illegal immigrants through a taxpayer-funded “Belonging Fund.” Nashville publishes immigration encounters online but has redacted officer names following concerns. The mayor’s office did not comment. A local council member has called for an audit of the fund.
(The Center Square) – Two committees in the U.S. House of Representatives want more information on an executive order issued by Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell, which they say could “chill” the enforcement of federal immigration law.
O’Connell’s order required city of Nashville employees to report any encounters with federal immigration authorities within one business day. It was amended to include all departments after an operation conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Tennessee Highway Patrol in early May netted 196 arrests. Some of those arrested had extensive criminal histories and some had removal orders, according to a release from ICE.
The joint letter from the Judiciary and Homeland Security committees and the Congressional Counter-Terrorism Caucus requests all documents related to the order since May 1, documents referring to the ICE operation and any documents and communications between Metro Nashville employees and others.
O’Connell has until June 12 at 5 p.m. to respond, according to the letter posted on social media by U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., chairman of the Congressional Counter-Terrorism Caucus.
“Instead of defending our state, Mayor Freddie O’Connell is sabotaging it,” Ogles said. “He’s weaponized his office to dox and surveil federal agents who are trying to stop violent criminals – and worse, he’s embraced those criminals by creating a taxpayer-funded program to aid illegal aliens. The recipients of these funds are untraceable. The purpose is crystal clear: help illegal foreigners evade the law.”
Nashville officials are publishing all encounters with immigration officers on a website. The names of some officers were listed on the site, Ogles said. The names are now redacted, according to a report from WSMV.
The Center Square was unsuccessful prior to publication of getting comment from the mayor’s office.
O’Connell also announced the “Belonging Fund” on May 5, described as a “new effort to support immigrants in Nashville during moments of crisis.” It is a partnership between the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee and the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, according to a release.
Metro Council Member David Benton called for an audit of the fund at a Monday news conference with Ogles.
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Center-Right
The article primarily reports on the actions of Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell regarding immigration enforcement and the subsequent response from Republican members of Congress. While it mostly recounts factual events—such as the mayor’s executive order, the ICE operation, and the formation of a “Belonging Fund”—the inclusion of strong critical quotes from U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles and emphasis on the concerns of Republican officials without equivalent representation of the mayor’s or Democratic perspectives suggests a slight center-right bias. The language used in quoted criticisms (“sabotaging,” “weaponized,” “embraced those criminals”) comes from conservative sources, which the article presents without balancing counterarguments or context that might portray the mayor’s actions in a more favorable or neutral light. Overall, the piece leans toward a center-right framing by focusing on opposition to the mayor’s immigrant-friendly policies and federal enforcement interactions without equivalent explanatory or supportive commentary from proponents of those policies.
SUMMARY: Tennessee’s new law criminalizes housing immigrants without legal status, even if those housed have citizenship. Enforcement depends on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) “determinations,” which critics argue are not final immigration rulings. State attorneys maintain that ICE notices suffice for prosecution, even if later proven wrong. The law targets human smugglers financially benefiting from housing undocumented immigrants, but churches and landlords fear prosecution for aid or rentals. Lawsuits argue the law’s broad language chills landlords and nonprofits. Judge William Campbell may issue a limited injunction to protect plaintiffs during trial. Opponents say the law criminalizes acts of hospitality and sanctuary.
SUMMARY: Over the weekend, protests erupted in cities like Washington, D.C., and Chicago against President Trump’s threat to deploy National Guard troops, which Illinois Governor JB Pritzker condemned as a “fake guise of fighting crime.” Trump’s selective targeting of cities with Black mayors in Democratic states, including New Orleans, has raised concerns of racial bullying. Los Angeles was the first city to face military deployment during an immigration crisis, a move later ruled illegal for violating the Posse Comitatus Act. Baltimore’s former mayor also denied any crime emergency, criticizing the stigma caused by potential National Guard involvement.
SUMMARY: ICE detainer requests in Tennessee surged 86.5% this year, with a 31.8% rise in Davidson County, according to new data. Representative Lee Reeves highlighted strains on local resources from illegal immigration, citing law violations in small towns like Robertson County. Reeves urges more local agencies to adopt 287(g) agreements, which grant federal immigration enforcement powers to sheriffs, including jail enforcement, task force, and warrant officer models. Currently, 27 Tennessee sheriffs participate in these agreements, contributing to the state’s ranking as second nationwide for ICE arrests in jails. Reeves credits tougher immigration enforcement under President Trump and supports legislation to mandate 287(g) adoption statewide. Detainer requests in Shelby County rose only slightly.
