Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., said two House committees will investigate Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell for possibly “aiding and abetting” illegal migrants and obstructing Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.
Ogles announced the probes during a press conference that included federal, state, and local officials at the Tennessee State Capitol.
“We’ve heard it: the individuals that the mayor is standing with are murderers, rapists, drug traffickers, sexual predators, child traffickers … the list goes on,” Ogles told reporters Monday. “Which is why I will always stand on the rule of law and with ICE. And I don’t just stand with ICE, I’ll stand in front of ICE because we the people have had enough. I choose my community, my state and my family over this type of nonsense.
“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.”
Ogles said the Homeland Security Committee, of which he’s a member, and the Judiciary Committee will investigate whether the mayor used federal tax dollars “in criminal enterprise” related to illegal immigration.
The lawmaker said he was requesting all documents and communications from O’Connell’s office related to:
- A city directive requiring Nashville employees and first responders to report all communication with federal immigration authorities directly to the mayor.
- Any internal discussions or documents concerning ICE enforcement actions in Nashville or Davidson County.
- All correspondence involving city employees and affiliated non-governmental organizations regarding the arrest or detention of criminal illegal aliens within Nashville or the county.
“Ending the illegal alien invasion unleashed by Democrats and kept alive by obstructionist, activist mayors like Freddie O’Connell. That’s why I brought together patriots from every level of Tennessee’s government — from city councilmen to state legislators to federal law enforcement officials,” Ogles said in a release following the press conference.
“The only way to secure our streets from the violence of illegal alien criminals is to stand with President Trump and support the efforts of ICE. Anyone who stands in the way of ICE is aiding foreign enemies and should be held accountable. It’s time to take back our country, secure Tennessee, and make America safe again.”
On May 13, the Homeland Security Department announced ICE had made 196 arrests of criminal illegal aliens during an operation in Nashville. Of the individuals arrested, 95 had prior criminal convictions and pending criminal charges and 31 were previously removed individuals who reentered the U.S. illegally, a felony offense under federal law.
“Despite ICE and THP’s [Tennessee Highway Patrol] success in protecting Americans from these criminal illegal aliens, Mayor O’Connell stands by pro-illegal policies claiming that these operations were done by ‘people who do not share our values of safety,'” DHS said in its release.
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