www.thecentersquare.com – By Kim Jarrett | The Center Square – (The Center Square – ) 2025-05-13 15:04:00
An operation involving ICE, DHS, ATF, and the Tennessee Highway Patrol led to 196 arrests, with 96 individuals having prior criminal convictions or pending charges. Some had felony convictions for domestic assault, rape, and drug possession. Thirty-one individuals had been previously removed from the U.S. Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell criticized the operation, highlighting its negative impact on the community and announcing a fund to support immigrants. DHS responded by sharing a snippet of O’Connell’s criticism, emphasizing the operation’s success in removing individuals deemed a safety threat to Tennessee residents.
(The Center Square) — An enforcement operation involving Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Department of Homeland Security components, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Tennessee Highway Patrol resulted in 196 arrests, ICE said Tuesday.
Ninety-six of those arrested had prior criminal convictions and pending criminal charges, the agency said. Those with criminal records included an individual who had been removed from the U.S. six times and had convictions for felony domestic assault and sex with a minor. Others had convictions for rape, drug possession and reckless aggravated assault, the agency said.
Another 31 had previously been removed from the U.S. because they were here illegally.
“This enforcement effort underscores ICE’s unwavering commitment to public safety and the rule of law. Our officers are focused on identifying and removing individuals who pose a threat to the safety and security of Tennessee residents,” said acting ERO New Orleans Field Office Director Brian Acuna. “During the operation I witnessed the men and women of the Tennessee Highway Patrol carry out significant public safety efforts. The New Orleans Field Office is grateful for their support.”
The operation was criticized by some, including Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell. He announced a new fund on May 5, two days after the initial arrest by ICE, that would help immigrants as part of a partnership with Metro Nashville and the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee.
“What’s clear today is that people who do not share our values of safety and community have the authority to cause deep community harm,” O’Connell said. “Their approach is not our understanding of what a Nashville for All of Us looks like, and we’re grateful to our community partners who make all of our residents feel welcome.”
The Department of Homeland Security posted a snippet of O’Connell’s speech on its X page.
“Despite the success of this enforcement operation, the Nashville Mayor has claimed these operations were done by ‘people who do not share our values of safety,'” the department said in the post.
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 an ICE enforcement operation and includes statements from both ICE officials and a Democratic city mayor expressing opposing views. While the content presents factual information about the arrests and quotes from officials on both sides, the framing emphasizes the details of criminal convictions among the arrested individuals and includes a critical tone towards the mayor’s response by highlighting the Department of Homeland Security’s rebuttal on social media. The language used by ICE and DHS is presented without critique, and the focus on law enforcement success aligns with a perspective that prioritizes strict immigration enforcement, a viewpoint commonly associated with center-right or conservative stances. However, the article does give space to the mayor’s criticism and efforts supporting immigrants, which suggests some balance. Overall, the tone and selection of details lean slightly toward a center-right position rather than neutral reporting.
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