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He added forcefully, “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.”
O’Connell, who governs a city that is a liberal stronghold amid a deeply conservative state, has publicly condemned ICE operations in Nashville. He even ordered city officials to reveal all communications with federal immigration agencies, signaling his open opposition to federal immigration enforcement.
Due to the mayor’s controversial stance and alleged actions, Ogles announced, “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 a criminal enterprise.”
This probe stems from Ogles’ earlier calls to examine the mayor’s role in promoting “pro-illegal policies” in Nashville, detailed in a letter the congressman sent to ICE. The investigation follows a recent crackdown by ICE and Tennessee State Police, which led to the arrest of more than 200 people, many connected to criminal gangs, according to official statements.
In response to that raid, O’Connell issued an executive order demanding city staff disclose their interactions with ICE and DHS—a move that Ogles slammed as “an outrageous directive.”
Ogles didn’t mince words at Monday’s press conference: “If you’re helping violent gangs destroy Tennessee by obstructing ICE — you belong behind bars,” he said, according to the New York Post.
DHS’s own press release called out Mayor O’Connell by name, accusing him of backing “pro-illegal policies” while “claiming that these operations were done by ‘people who do not share our values of safety.’”
Nashville, home to roughly 700,000 residents, stands as Tennessee’s largest city and a beacon of liberal governance. Yet despite Mayor O’Connell’s efforts, state law forbids local officials from shielding immigrants from federal enforcement — sanctuary city policies were outlawed statewide in 2019.
The White House’s border enforcement czar, Tom Homan, has targeted similar liberal officials, including Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and Denver Mayor Mike Johnston. Homan warned both they could face arrest if they interfere with ICE.
“It’s a felony if you knowingly harbor and conceal an illegal alien from immigration authorities. It’s also a felony to impede a federal law enforcement officer,” Homan told Fox News host Sean Hannity last November. “So if he don’t help, that’s fine.”
Homan was blunt about Denver’s mayor: “He can get the hell out of the way, but we’re going to go do the job.”
He added, “I find it hard to believe that any mayor or governor would say they don’t want public safety threats removed from their neighborhoods.”
And in a pointed jab, Homan said, “Me and the Denver mayor, we agree on one thing: he’s willing to go to jail, I’m willing to put him in jail.”
The federal investigation into Mayor O’Connell is just the latest in a growing crackdown on elected officials who openly resist immigration enforcement and sanctuary policies. For conservatives and supporters of law and order, it’s a sign the rule of law may finally push back against soft-on-crime liberal leadership.
