Image Credit: Freddie O’Connell, Mayor of Metropolitan Nashville & Davidson County / Facebook & Canva
The Tennessee Conservative [By Olivia Lupia] –
Despite an ongoing Congressional probe into whether he obstructed ICE operations, Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell continues to champion the enforcement of an executive order (EO) which requires all Metro government employees and contractors to report interactions with any federal immigration enforcement departments or officers.
The investigation was initially requested by Tennessee Congressman Andy Ogles after O’Connell signed the EO in response to a joint THP/ICE operation which led to the arrest of nearly 200 illegal aliens in the Nashville area.
Part of the order requires that any communications regarding immigration enforcement must pass through the mayor’s office in an effort to create a type of early warning system for future immigration operations.
The mayor’s office also doxxed several immigration officers, posting sensitive identifying information of ICE and DHS officials to a publicly accessible government website, though O’Connell denies any wrongdoing by his administration and maintains the officers were not at any “additional risk” due to those actions.
Despite continued critique and pushback from citizens and Republican lawmakers alike, O’Connell has continued enforcement of his policy, and spokesperson Alex Apple said, “Departments continue to timely report information in compliance with the EO.”
According to Apple, an additional seven interactions between city officials and federal immigration authorities have occurred since the last public release of information, four in late June and three last week.
Supposedly, the information will be redacted to remove individual identifying information before it is released to the public.
Details of the investigation itself remain vague, though the Nashville government turned over roughly 100 documents to Congress last month in partial compliance with the federal request.
However, half of those documents were described by The Tennessee Lookout as “terse narrative descriptions” of contacts with the city initiated by ICE and Homeland Security officials this year, all of which have already been publicly posted.
The other documents reportedly include emails describing the policy itself and the requirement to report these interactions.
Congressional Democrats are also claiming they are unaware of any such investigation and “are not participating alongside Republicans”, according to a spokesperson for the House Judiciary and Homeland Security Committees.
The committee Republicans have remained relatively tight lipped about the investigation’s status, though Ogles did confirm receipt of the documents from Nashville.
Ogles posted a “sneak peek” from the investigation on July 8 consisting of an interview clip of Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson declaring that local law enforcement will not cooperate with ICE.
The caption reads, “Freddie O’Connell’s office is possibly pressuring Nashville police officers to follow the same corrupt playbook. There’s a lot that needs to be exposed. More on the way.”
He posted again on July 9, stating the investigation is “far from finished” and reassuring constituents in his video that, “We’re reviewing the emails he sent, there’s still other documents that he has not sent, and we don’t have anything about the belonging fund and some of the other stuff, so there’s more to come on that. We’re going through this with a fine-tooth comb.”
About the Author: Olivia Lupia is a political refugee from Colorado who now calls Tennessee home. A proud follower of Christ, she views all political happenings through a Biblical lens and aims to utilize her knowledge and experience to educate and equip others. Olivia is an outspoken conservative who has run for local office, managed campaigns, and been highly involved with state & local GOPs, state legislatures, and other grassroots organizations and movements. Olivia can be reached at olivia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
6 Responses
Would a state referendum on the 26 mid-term ballot, reserving the power to issue Executive Orders to only the Governor, have a chance of passing in Tennessee? Ideally, Mayors would have only the same level of authority as any other council member, one vote at the council meetings equal to the any other member. Their job would be pretty much to chair the meetings and would, like the other council members, only be paid a modest per diem, no salary, no benefits, not a city employee.
I’d vote for that.
When I look at Mayor Freddie McConnell, all I can think of is that I wish I had a nose like his full of quarters.
Lucifer’s dimmercraps, the wronger it is the more they support it.
Yes, if they are trying to destroy your country, the people of Tennessee should understand that is exactly who they are working for and why it is so important to vet candidates and be very watchful at the polls. If a globalist luciferian slips in by lying about who they are, RECALL THEM QUICKLY.
Mayor “Freddie” and his behavior are very questionable. Nashville is NOT and never will be a sanctuary city. Cooperation with law enforcement is essential despite the warped mind of the city’s current mayor.