Republicans on the House Homeland Security Committee and House Judiciary Committee are launching an investigation into Nashville, Tennessee, Mayor Freddie O’Connell (D), accused of obstructing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from arresting illegal aliens.
In a letter to O’Connell, Reps. Jim Jordan (R-OH), Mark Green (R-TN), Tom McClintock (R-CA), and Andy Ogles (R-TN) accused the progressive Democrat of taking a series of citywide actions to impede ICE operations in Nashville:
Earlier this month, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) partnered with the Tennessee Highway Patrol in an immigration enforcement action that “resulted in the arrest of 196 criminal illegal aliens, some with significant criminal histories and outstanding final orders of removal.” Instead of supporting those law enforcement efforts to protect Tennessee residents, you condemned ICE’s immigration enforcement actions. You also announced a “partnership” with local activist organizations to create a fund to raise money to “support” aliens, including those “affected by the ICE [enforcement actions].” [Emphasis added]
We are also concerned about your directive to most Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County employees “who are reasonably likely to engage in” communications with “federal immigration authorities” to report those communications to your office. Specifically, your amended Executive Order 030 directs employees of any “Metro emergency services department,” including the police department, to report communications with federal immigration officials “within one business day.” The Executive Order also requires non-law enforcement employees to report to your office if they communicate with federal immigration officials about “modifying a policy or practice of a Metro department or office.” [Emphasis added]
The congressmen are asking O’Connell’s office to hand over all documents and communications referring to ICE operations in Nashville, including those relating to ICE arrests of illegal aliens.
Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) has also been urging Attorney General Pam Bondi to open an investigation into O’Connell’s initiatives and whether they are obstructing ICE operations targeting criminal illegal aliens.
In one specific instance, O’Connell’s office used the first name of an ICE employee on its website when posting communications between the agency and local Nashville law enforcement.
Last week, border czar Tom Homan said ICE agents would continue enforcing federal immigration law in Nashville and that O’Connell is “not going to stop us.”
The congressmen are requiring O’Connell to respond to their request by June 13.
John Binder is a reporter for Breitbart News. Email him at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter here.
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