Traffic stops scrutinized in neighborhood with many immigrants

Nashville progressive leaders and immigrant advocacy groups decried a large-scale traffic stop operation over the weekend targeting a heavily Hispanic neighborhood.

Why it matters: The coordinated operation between federal and state officers in South Nashville came amid President Trump's hardline stance on immigration.

The big picture: Nashville leaders have worked to cultivate the city's reputation as being welcoming to immigrants. Last year, activists and politicians gathered to celebrate the 15th anniversary of voters rejecting a ballot measure to make English the city government's official language.

What they're saying: "Arbitrarily rounding up parents on their way home and workers traveling to their jobs does not make Nashville safer or stronger," Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition executive director Lisa Sherman Luna said in a statement. "Instead it shatters families, erodes trust in law enforcement, and leads to fear, trauma and isolation that weakens the collective fabric of our community."

• Following the raids, protesters gathered Sunday at the Nashville Department of Homeland Security facility. Nashville police officers were on hand for crowd control during the protest, Mayor Freddie O'Connell's office said in a statement.

Driving the news: The Tennessee Highway Patrol collaborated with officers from the Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Department of Homeland Security to make about 150 traffic stops in the early morning hours on Sunday, according to a state spokesperson.

• In some cases, federal agents enforced immigration-related matters during the stops. State troopers made a few arrests for outstanding warrants, according to the spokesperson.
• At least 20 people were "impacted" by ICE activity, according to a press release from the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition.

Zoom out: Earlier this year, the Legislature passed legislation that created a state immigration enforcement office, provided grants to local law enforcement and made it a felony for local officials to back sanctuary city policies. Republican lawmakers said their legislation would allow the state to assist in Trump's immigration crackdown.

The other side: "THP officers should be focused on roadway safety, not detaining parents heading to drop their kids off at daycare or pulling over residents based on their appearance, language, or neighborhood," state Rep. Aftyn Behn, a Nashville Democrat, said in a statement.

• "This is not happening in a vacuum. Over the last decade, Tennessee has systematically expanded its anti-immigrant apparatus."