Nashville’s Democrat Mayor found himself in hot water this week after House Republicans announced they’re putting him under the microscope.
The investigation comes after the Mayor issued a controversial executive order that many are calling a direct obstruction of federal immigration enforcement.
And House Republicans launched an investigation into a Democrat Mayor for this shocking reason.
Nashville Mayor under federal investigation for anti-ICE executive order
House Republicans are turning up the heat on Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell for allegedly obstructing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations.
Tennessee Rep. Andy Ogles announced on Monday that both the House Homeland Security Committee and Judiciary Committee have opened investigations into O’Connell’s actions.
“The individuals that the Mayor’s standing with are murderers, rapists, drug traffickers, sexual predators, child traffickers — the list goes on,” Ogles said during a press conference. “Which is why I will always stand on the rule of law and with ICE.”
The federal investigation comes after O’Connell issued an executive order directing city employees and first responders to report all communication with immigration authorities directly to the Mayor’s office.
Under the order, any communication between immigration officials and a Metro emergency services department must be reported to the Mayor’s Office of New Americans within one business day.
For non-emergency departments, communication regarding activities “outside regular policies/procedures” must be submitted to the office within three days.
Rep. Ogles didn’t mince words about where he stands on the issue.
“I don’t just stand with ICE, I’ll stand in front of ICE because we the people have had enough,” the Tennessee Republican declared. “Which is why, due to the remarks of Freddie O’Connell and the potential for aiding and abetting illegal immigration, the Homeland Security and the Judiciary committees will be conducting an investigation into the Mayor of Nashville, his conduct, and whether or not federal dollars have been used in criminal enterprise.”
Investigation will dig deep into Mayor’s communications
The congressional investigation will be far-reaching, requesting extensive documentation from the Mayor’s office.
According to Ogles, investigators will seek all documentation and communication regarding the anti-ICE executive order, as well as internal communications about ICE enforcement actions in Nashville and the surrounding Davidson County.
They’ll also request all communication from government and affiliated non-governmental organization employees regarding the apprehension and detention of criminal illegal migrants in the area.
Ogles had previously called on the House Homeland and Judiciary Committee Chairmen to look into the Mayor’s actions earlier in May.
Trump administration cracking down on sanctuary jurisdictions
The investigation into Nashville’s Mayor represents the latest chapter in Republicans’ fight against sanctuary jurisdictions and officials who oppose immigration enforcement.
In March, the Republican-led House Oversight Committee called on Mayors of the largest sanctuary cities in the U.S. to a hearing to answer questions about their policies restricting ICE cooperation.
Border czar Tom Homan, who’s leading the Trump administration’s deportation agenda, previously warned that obstructing ICE operations would have serious consequences.
“There are federal statutes on the books for knowingly concealing and harboring an illegal alien away from ICE officers,” Homan told the Daily Caller News Foundation in December. “There are statutes on the books about impeding federal law enforcement officers – they’re all felonies.”
“Now these sanctuary cities cannot assist – ok, that’s fine. They can stand aside, that’s fine, but they cannot cross that line,” Homan continued. “If they cross that line, we’ll be asking the attorney’s office to consider prosecution.”
The Trump administration is backing up these warnings with action.
In April, federal prosecutors arrested a Wisconsin judge after she allegedly helped an illegal migrant accused of misdemeanor battery sneak out of her courtroom while ICE sought to arrest him. The judge, who has ties to left-wing activists, allegedly directed the illegal migrant and his lawyer to walk down a hallway toward another floor where ICE agents wouldn’t find him.
Later that month, President Trump signed an executive order directing Attorney General Pam Bondi and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to identify city and state governments not complying with federal immigration laws. Sanctuary jurisdictions that refuse to amend their policies could face federal funding cuts and civil or criminal lawsuits.
As the Biden-Harris era of open borders comes to an end, the days of sanctuary cities thumbing their noses at federal immigration laws appear to be numbered.
