Latest news with #ExecutiveOrder30
New York Post
2 days ago
- Politics
- New York Post
Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell stands behind doxing ICE agents even after officials said his actions put them in danger
The Democratic mayor of Tennessee's largest city, who has been accused of obstructing federal immigration efforts, defended his office's decision to publicly dox the names of immigration officers. Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell's defense came even after the names of federal immigration officials were removed from a public immigration report detailing a month's worth of immigration-related interactions between local police and federal immigration authorities. Initially, the public report detailed immigration officers' names, but following backlash over the move the names were taken down. 'I wouldn't say it was an endangerment process, I would say they may have some concerns – I'm far more concerned about the overall dynamic we have about unmarked, unidentifiable masked people whisking people into vehicles – i think that's a bigger concern,' O'Connell, who is currently under investigation by GOP House lawmakers for potentially interfering with federal immigration efforts, said during a press conference with reporters. O'Connell did add the move was not 'intentional,' but then quickly followed up that he wouldn't have described what happened as 'doxing' in the first place. 'It's not a process that I would characterize as doxing. It was an unintentional release of names that were already part of a public record,' he told reporters. 'They were already part of a public record by being in Department of Emergency Communication's calls, so I don't think it puts them at additional risk. But it's also not an intention of the executive order under which those names are released.' Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell was accused of obstructing federal immigration efforts. WireImage Fox News Digital reached out to O'Connell's office for comment but did not hear back in time for publication. Larry Adams, an Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Assistant Field Office Director, told local Fox affiliate in Nashville WZTV that ICE agents disagree that making their names public is not a risk, noting their faces can easily be matched to photos on social media. 'It has gotten more and more difficult,' Adams said of his job under the new administration's aggressive deportation tactics, during a ride along with WZTV that occurred last week. 'What affects me the most, is we understand the job we are doing, we understand what we sign up for, it's mostly the attacks or threats against our families.' After Tennessee Republican Congressman Rep. Andy Ogles requested the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) investigate the Nashville mayor over allegedly obstructing federal officials, the agency followed through and opened an investigation. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers gathered at the DHS field office in Nashville on May 4, 2025. REUTERS Meanwhile, two congressional committees are also investigating him, including requesting documents related to O'Connell's Executive Order 30, which has required city departments to report federal immigration communications to the city of Nashville's Office of New Americans. In an interview with Fox News' Laura Ingraham, Assistant DHS Secretary Tricia McLaughlin remarked at the danger associated with doxing federal immigration officers, noting that the act effectively handed cartels intelligence 'on a silver platter.' 'These are the tip of the spear, these are the people on the front lines trying to make our communities safer,' McLaughlin said. 'So, when Democrats and the media show us who they are, we'll believe them, and it's the fact that they're fighting for people like MS-13 and child rapists to be on American streets.' According to local news outlet, the Tennessee Lookout, McLaughlin has also clapped back at O'Connell's claims that the release of immigration officials' names was a mistake. 'They claimed it was a mistake. There's zero chance it was a mistake, and there will be repercussions,' she said, according to the outlet.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
TN bill proposes removing public officials who ‘disrupt' ICE efforts
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Republican lawmakers in Tennessee filed a bill Monday that would make releasing certain records regarding immigration enforcement actions a crime. The filing of Senate Bill 1464 comes after Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell enacted Executive Order 30, which requires the Metro Nashville Police Department and Metro councilmembers to document and publish interactions with federal immigration authorities. In May, a city document detailing 35 immigration-related interactions between Metro Police and federal agencies was released. The report initially named individuals, including a Metro Council member, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement analyst, and Homeland Security officers. However, the names were later removed from the public version of the report. PREVIOUS | TN House Speaker demands Nashville mayor rescind executive order tied to ICE interactions Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton (R-Crossville) has since demanded that the mayor rescind the order, claiming it jeopardizes state and federal agents. However, Mayor O'Connell stated he has no plans to rescind the order, adding that it 'helps makes sure that nobody can accuse local, state or federal entities of activity that did or did not occur.' Now, Sexton has joined Senator Majority Leader Jack Johnson (R-Franklin) in filing Senate Bill 1464. 'Mayor O'Connell's decision to release sensitive information undermines the rule of law, violates public trust, and jeopardizes the safety of those who protect our communities. This bill makes it clear: if you use your office to interfere with federal immigration enforcement or endanger officers, there will be swift and serious consequences. Tennessee will not be a sanctuary for lawlessness,' said Sexton. According to the filing, SB14 will: Make it a Class E felony for state and local officials to negligently release identifying information of officers involved in immigration enforcement; Provide for outster from office for those who violate the law; Expand the confidentiality protections under the Tennessee Public Records Act to cover undercover officers and sensitive enforcement activity; Strengthen existing penalties in state law for unauthorized disclosures of protected law enforcement information. 'The people of Tennessee expect their elected leaders to protect law enforcement—not endanger them,' said Leader Johnson. 'When a public official like Mayor O'Connell chooses political activism over public safety, especially by interfering with federal immigration enforcement, he has no business holding office in this state.' ⏩ Sexton added that Tennessee stands with law enforcement and 'will not become California, and Nashville will not become LA or San Francisco.' The bill will be formally considered during the 2026 legislative session. The legislation is reportedly co-sponsored by all the Senate Republican leadership — including Lt. Governor Randy McNally, Speaker Pro Tempore Ferrell Haile, Republican Caucus Chairman Ken Yager — as well as Finance Committee Chairman Bo Watson. News 2 has reached out to O'Connell's office for comment. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Nashville mayor stands by ICE instructions, has no plans to remove executive order
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell isn't budging on the city's response to recent ICE raids. Amid growing pressure from state leaders, O'Connell stated he does not have plans to rescind Executive Order 30, which requires Metro Police and Metro Council to document and publish interactions with federal immigration authorities. This comes after House Speaker Cameron Sexton demanded O'Connell remove the order on Thursday. RELATED: TN House Speaker demands Nashville mayor rescind executive order tied to ICE interactions 'Our focus is on participating in conversations, having discourse directly with our community, and frequently, at a staff level, with people in state and federal government,' said O'Connell on Friday. 'We don't spend as much energy on statements, and so I haven't even fully reviewed the statement yet.' 'We believe that the transparency that is in that executive order helps everybody,' he continued. 'It helps make sure that nobody can accuse local, state, or federal entities of activity that did or did not occur. It also represents to the community that nobody is trying to hide anything here.' With that all said, O'Connell called it 'appropriate' to maintain the executive order, for now. He said he and his office are more focused on the city's 2026 budget. 'Our department of law leads everything that we need to do to make sure we are compliant with state and federal law. We are going to respond appropriately to any formal requests for documents or investigation,' O'Connell explained. 'But our office, our team are focused on the business of the city. We are working on our budget and we are working on doing what's right for Nashvillians.' Highlights from Mayor O'Connell's State of Metro Address and proposed budget for fiscal year 2026 Key components of the proposed budget, according to O'Connell, are public safety and housing. With public safety, O'Connell detailed an expansion of resources for Nashville Fire, the addition of more SROs in schools, plus new police precincts. As for housing, the Mayor said Nashville is in a crisis, which is why the budget would include the largest single-year investment into housing in the city's history. O'Connell referenced the 'stark contrast' between Nashville's budget plan, and President Trump's 'Big Beautiful Bill,' specifically when it relates to health care and services for the lower/middle class. Overall, O'Connell said they feel 'very good' about their 2026 budget. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
TN House Speaker demands Nashville mayor rescind executive order tied to ICE interactions
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — A state leader is pushing back against Nashville's response to recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity. Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton is calling on Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell to rescind an executive order he issued last month. In May, a coordinated effort between ICE and Tennessee Highway Patrol took 'everyone at Metro by surprise,' according to the Metro government's legal director. The Department of Homeland Security said the operation ended with 196 people arrested. 'We do comply with the law': Nashville mayor responds to investigation into his office To maintain transparency, O'Connell enacted Executive Order 30. That order requires the Metro Nashville Police Department and Metro Council members to document and publish interactions with federal immigration authorities. Those reports are now public, but early on, individuals involved in those interactions were identified, sparking backlash. According to O'Connell, as soon as the names were found, they were scrubbed. On Thursday, June 5, Sexton took to social media to demand that the mayor reverse the order, claiming it has jeopardized state and federal agents 'to the extent that individuals are harassing and interfering in the lawful duty of these agents.' 'While Metro has refused to assist federal agents with ICE; they decided to escalate it by forcing all employees to act as big brother,' Sexton wrote. 'Antioch bows to no council member': Some constituents call for Metro Councilman's resignation following immigration remarks Sexton acknowledged the mayor has the authority to issue the order, but he thinks it's time rescind it. 'In my opinion, I think it may do more harm to the agents and embolden people to maybe go looking for them instead of allowing them to do their job,' Sexton told News 2. 'People can disagree on whether or not they should be doing what they're doing, and they can debate that, but empowering the Metro government to act as the overseer of all that through executive order, I think, was a little bit too much.' The Tennessee Fraternal Order of Police said it will ask Nashville's District Attorney for a criminal investigation into the release of federal agents' names. The organization is also asking members of the legislature to request an investigation by the Tennessee Attorney General. 'The mayor and his office must be held accountable for their actions. The staff member who posted this should be terminated for these actions. If the mayor authorized this information, he should take responsibility for this travesty and resign. Ultimately, this publication of information is the responsibility of Mayor O'Connell. He is the elected official that is responsible for his office and his staff,' the Tennessee Fraternal Order of Police said in a statement. 'Law enforcement officers, local, state, and federal, should not have to worry about the elected officials overstepping their reach and putting private information out to the public. Actions such as this demonstrate why men and women do not want to enter law enforcement in today's society.' | READ MORE | News 2 reached out to the mayor's office for comment, but as of publication, we have yet to hear back. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Congressional committees announce investigation into Nashville Mayor
Two Congressional committees announced a federal investigation into Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell on May 30, accusing the mayor of obstructing a U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement in the wake of a major immigration operation in early May. The Committee on Homeland Security—chaired by U.S. Rep. Mark Green, R-Tennessee—and the Committee on the Judiciary of the U.S. House of Representatives, sent a letter demanding investigative materials from the mayor as part of a federal effort to conduct 'oversight of state and local jurisdictions that endanger American communities through efforts aimed at thwarting the work of federal immigration officials.' The move comes after weeks of public pressure by U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles, who held a press conference on Memorial Day weekend calling for the investigation. 'While the state of Tennessee has outlawed sanctuary policies, recent actions from your office threaten to chill immigration enforcement in the City of Nashville and Davidson County,' the letter reads. 'Accordingly, we write to request information about how your recent actions, including a directive to Nashville and Davidson County employees to disclose their communications with federal immigration officials, affects the robust enforcement of immigration law.' Until May 30, O'Connell has declined to comment on Ogles' calls for a congressional investigation. At the mayor's weekly news conference with Nashville reporters, O'Connell said his office intended to 'appropriately respond' to the requests listed in the letter from members of Congress. He also said he's not concerned about the investigation finding any wrongdoing. 'I am not particularly concerned,' O'Connell said. 'We're going to, again, respond appropriately to all inquiries. We have been guided by a full understanding of state and federal law and will continue to be.' More: What to know about how Mayor O'Connell responded to Nashville ICE operation Nashville is weeks removed from the weeklong immigration enforcement operation, during which ICE and the Tennessee Highway Patrol made 468 traffic stops and arrested nearly 200 immigrants. The ICE sweeps were concentrated in south Nashville, in neighborhoods around Nolensville Pike and Harding Place with a large population of immigrants and Latino residents. Friday's letter condemns O'Connell's public statements of opposition to the ICE operation, as well as a community charity fund that, while announced by O'Connell at a May 5 press conference, is run by a community nonprofit and does not utilize taxpayer funds. More: D.C. Republicans pile on Nashville mayor over ICE response — and imply more action in city It also expresses 'concern' about a previously standing executive order updated by O'Connell requiring city departments to report communications with federal immigration officials to the mayor's office. The order, titled Executive Order 30, isn't new — in fact, it's well over a year old, having first been issued in January 2024. But it's reemerged in the wake of the ICE operation because O'Connell amended it to allow for a shorter timeline for reporting. Regardless, the order is a key focus in the investigation. 'This Executive Order could have a chilling effect on the ability of local law enforcement to communicate freely and candidly with federal immigration employees,' the letter states, adding that there is 'real potential that your Executive Order could have the effect of diminishing ICE enforcement operations.' The letter lists three key requests for the city, all concerning documents created between May 1 and the receiving of the letter: All documents and communications referring or relating to the amendment of Executive Order 30 All documents and communications referring or relating to ICE enforcement actions in the City of Nashville or Davidson County All documents and communications 'between or among Metro employees and non-Metro employees, including but not limited to non-governmental organizations, referring or relating to the arrest of criminal aliens in the City of Nashville and Davidson County' The information is tagged with a June 13 deadline, and is signed by Chairman of the Committee on Judiciary Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security and Enforcement Tom McClintock, R-California, Ogles and Green. 'Today, with the full support of Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan and Homeland Security Chairman Mark Green, we're taking action," said Ogles, in a press release regarding the investigation. "If Mayor O'Connell wants to spy on federal agents doing their job, then Congress is going to investigate him for obstruction.' The letter came a day after the city of Nashville was added to a federal list titled 'Sanctuary Jurisdictions Defying Federal Immigration Law,' which was posted on the Department of Homeland Security's website. There are only two 'sanctuary jurisdictions' listed in Tennessee — Nashville and Shelby County. DHS says each jurisdiction will receive formal notification of its non-compliance with federal statutes. It's not immediately clear why Nashville — or any jurisdiction in Tennessee — is included on the list, given that neither has self-identified as a sanctuary city. In Tennessee, sanctuary cities have been banned for about seven years, and another state law passed earlier this year criminalizes local officials who support sanctuary policies for immigrants. O'Connell also commented on Nashville's appearance on the list at his May 30 news conference. He passed out copies of the state law to reporters and said Nashville complies with 'every single component' of the law and, by definition, is not a sanctuary city. O'Connell added that Nashville does not have — and has never had — a policy violating the state law. He said the city has asserted over the past several weeks that it has no legal authority related to immigration enforcement and does not impede law enforcement action. 'I'm puzzled about the criteria they used to include Nashville (on the list),' O'Connell said. 'We are not and never have been a sanctuary city. If you look at the state law that defines a sanctuary city policy there are six factors, and we do not and never have had a policy that violates any of those factors. I'd be interested to learn what criteria they're using.' The USA TODAY Network - Tennessee's coverage of First Amendment issues is funded through a collaboration between the Freedom Forum and Journalism Funding Partners. Have a story to tell? Reach Angele Latham by email at alatham@ by phone at 931-623-9485, or follow her on Twitter at @angele_latham Austin Hornbostel is the Metro reporter for The Tennessean. Have a question about local government you want an answer to? Reach him at ahornbostel@ This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Congressional committees announce investigation into O'Connell, city
