Image Credit: Kid Rock’s Big Honky Tonk and Rock n’ Roll Steakhouse / Facebook & Tootsie’s World Famous Orchid Lounge / Facebook
The Tennessee Conservative [By Paula Gomes] –
Several restaurants owned by outspoken supporters of President Donald Trump allegedly depend on the labor of illegal aliens despite the Trump administration’s stance on illegal immigration.
Allegedly, amid the dinner rush on the Saturday before Mother’s Day, illegal aliens employed at restaurants owned by Steve Smith and Kid Rock were instructed to go home by managers in order to avoid raids by immigration agents.
Smith, who was a vocal opponent of Nashville governmental policies that kept businesses shuttered during the pandemic, has ownership in several restaurants including Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge, Rippy’s, Honky Tonk Central, The Diner, and Kid Rock’s Big Ass Honky Tonk and Rock ‘n’ Roll Steakhouse.
Kid Rock – whose real name is Bob Ritchie – has also been a staunch supporter of the President, performing at the 2024 Republican National Convention and endorsing him.
When workers fled Honky Tonk Central, The Diner, and Kid Rock’s Big Ass Honky Tonk and Rock ‘n’ Roll Steakhouse the restaurants severely suffered in their ability to serve patrons according to an unnamed source who spoke to the Nashville Scene.
According to the source – an employee at one of the restaurants – understaffing was already a problem due to recent Immigration, Customs, and Enforcement (ICE) raids throughout the city, but on Saturday night, a manager told remaining workers without legal status to go home, leaving no one in the kitchen to prepare food.
According to Fox17, while there were no reports able to confirm the presence of ICE officers in downtown Nashville, the rumors of possible raids was enough to send workers scurrying.
Without the manpower of these many illegal aliens the restaurants struggled for the rest of the weekend. Kid Rock’s Big Ass Honky Tonk and Rock ‘n’ Roll Steakhouse was forced to close temporarily, along with at least one other Broadway restaurant, because of the lack of staff.
It has not been verified if Smith or Kid Rock were behind the decision to send illegal workers home but managers have allegedly coordinated transportation to get illegal aliens to restaurants downtown, including locations owned by Smith.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol has conducted nearly six hundred traffic stops in partnership with ICE officers recently leading to the detention of nearly two hundred illegal aliens. These include convicted sex offenders, murderers, and members of foreign terrorist gangs like Tren de Aragua and others. Some of the worst offenders are listed here.
Roughly half who were arrested had prior criminal convictions and pending criminal charges. Thirty-one had re-entered the United States illegally after having been removed previously.
Nashville leadership has opposed the actions of the federal government to crack down on illegal immigration, with Mayor Freddie O’Connell creating a “Belonging Fund” which funnels taxpayer money to non-governmental organizations to help illegal aliens remain in the city.
O’Connell also signed an executive order to establish an early warning system of sorts with regard to any upcoming ICE operations.
Republican Congressman Andy Ogles (TN-05) is calling for a federal investigation into O’Connell’s actions.
Last Wednesday, Ogles formally requested that both the House Judiciary Committee and the Homeland Security Committee open an investigation into O’Connell and other city officials for their “repeated efforts to obstruct lawful ICE operation.”
About the Author: Paula Gomes is a Tennessee resident and reporter for The Tennessee Conservative. You can reach Paula at paula@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
One Response
Kid Rock’s hypocrisy is astonishing. He has the employees of his own restaurant go home early to avoid ICE raids, while railing against illegal immigrants, DEI, and “wokeism.”