Noem Addresses Illegal Immigration, ICE Efforts In Tennessee During Nashville Press Conference Run

Image Credit: @RepOgles / X

The Tennessee Conservative [By Adelia Kirchner] –

U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, held a press conference in Nashville on Friday morning to address the issue of illegal immigration in Tennessee.

Sec. Noem spoke of the Nashville Homeland Security Investigations office, which oversees operations in both Tennessee and Kentucky, saying they are a key component to investigative efforts that go into breaking up drug and human trafficking rings. 

“President Trump has been focused, ever since he’s been in office, on making America safe again and that is what my job is as the secretary, is to make sure we’re following through on exactly what he promised the American people,” said Sec. Noem. “To make sure that we’re going after the worst of the worst every single day, get the murders, the rapists, the child predators and pornographers off of our streets and out of this country so that they can be brought to justice and face the consequences for their actions.”

During the July 18^th press conference, Sec. Noem stated that since President Donald Trump took office earlier this year, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has arrested and deported almost 300,000 criminals and illegal immigrants across the country.

70% of these deported individuals had been convicted on criminal charges and/or had criminal charges pending against them at the time of deportation.

Sec. Noem also ran down the list of individuals arrested in Tennessee who were tied to foreign terrorist organizations.

These individuals include:

• 2 Venezuelan nationals with ties to Tren de Aragua – Arrested in January 2025 for promotion of prostitution and evading arrest. 
• A 35-year-old Venezuelan – Arrested in February 2025 and charged with homicide for allegedly stabbing his wife to death.
• A 33-year-old illegal immigrant from El Salvador connected to the MS-13 gang and wanted in El Salvador for aggravated murder – Arrested. 
• A 22-year-old illegal immigrant from Guatemala – Arrested in January 2025 and charged with three counts of child rape, sexual exploitation of a minor and identify theft.
• A 60-year-old illegal immigrant from Iraq – Arrested for rape, larceny and false imprisonment.
• Kilmar Abrego Garcia – Arrested for alleged human trafficking and domestic abuse. 

Sec. Noem also called out Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell for actively working against ICE efforts in the state and “doxxing” ICE agents.

She stated that publicly sharing the names of ICE agents posed a threat to them and their families and that Mayor O’Connell was playing politics instead of backing up the law enforcement officers protecting his city. 

“NOEM SAYS THE QUIET PART OUT LOUD!” U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN-District 5) wrote on social media. “Mayor O’Connell is abandoning ICE and doing everything he can to make the job of MNPD officers—who want to enforce federal law—impossible. More is coming. The investigation is far from over.”

The call out of Mayor O’Connell was not the only political drama to be stirred up last week on social media after Sec. Noem’s address. 

Sec. Noem also conducted a press conference from Nashville’s BNA airport on Thursday to announce a new “honor lane” as part of the “Serve With Honor, Travel With Ease” program. 

According to video footage from The Tennessee Holler, Rep. Justin Jones (D-Nashville-District 52) was kept from entering the event despite it taking place in his district. 

“I’ve been to every event here when [Former U.S. Transportation] Secretary [Pete] Buttigieg came here. It was both Democrats and Republicans invited,” said Rep. Jones, who called the selective barring shameful. “We’ve always been able to come to events at the airport. This is the first time that I know of that lawmakers aren’t allowed to come to the airport.”

The media relations manager for the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority clarified that Jones was kept out at the request of the Department of Homeland Security.

The targeted barring was likely due to Rep. Jones’ history of activist behaviors while in publicly elected office. 

About the Author: Adelia Kirchner is a Tennessee resident and reporter for the Tennessee Conservative. Currently the host of Subtle Rampage Podcast, she has also worked for the South Dakota State Legislature and interned for Senator Bill Hagerty’s Office in Nashville, Tennessee.  You can reach Adelia at adelia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.