Tenn. Republicans criticize Nashville mayor after ICE operation

Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell has faced a barrage of criticism from Tennessee Republicans for his response to the intense immigration enforcement operation by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents earlier this month.

Why it matters: The situation threatens to fray relationships between O'Connell and top Republicans.

Catch up quick: According to the Department of Homeland Security, ICE arrested 196 people in Nashville during its recent operation, including 95 people with prior criminal records.

• As part of the operation, ICE partnered with the Tennessee Highway Patrol, which conducted late-night and early-morning traffic stops on South Nashville streets home to large immigrant populations.

Driving the news: In the wake of the ICE arrests, O'Connell said at a press conference, "Their approach is not our understanding of what a 'Nashville for all of us' looks like."

• He also announced the creation of a new Belonging Fund, managed by the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee. Metro hasn't committed money to the fund, which had raised $240,000 as of Thursday.
• O'Connell also updated a preexisting executive order requiring Metro agencies to report communications with federal immigration officials. His update moved up the required reporting time from three days to 24 hours. He says the purpose of that order is for Metro officials to be informed, not to tip people off that ICE could be coming.
• Finally, O'Connell's office pushed for details on the people detained and their charges. So far, the federal government has only released a few names and specific charges.

What they're saying: Republicans including Sen. Marsha Blackburn and state Rep. Johnny Garrett chimed in on social media with criticisms of O'Connell's reaction.

• "ICE is making our communities safer while left-wing mayors protect illegal aliens," Blackburn posted on X.

Friction point: The harshest criticism has come from U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles, a Republican who represents a portion of Nashville. He sent a letter to the House Judiciary and Homeland Security committees Friday urging them to investigate O'Connell over the executive order.

• "Instead of applauding the heroic efforts of law enforcement for removing violent criminals, drug traffickers, and even a convicted child sex predator from our streets, Nashville's mayor chose to grandstand — penning an executive order directing city agencies to track and potentially undermine cooperation with ICE," Ogles said.

Zoom out: The Trump administration's strict immigration policy has created tension, and in some cases legal issues, with local officials.

• A Wisconsin judge pleaded not guilty this week to federal charges that she helped an undocumented man evade arrest.
• The mayor of Newark, New Jersey, was arrested this month after a protest at an ICE facility.

Between the lines: Other Tennessee Republicans, such as Gov. Bill Lee and U.S. Rep. John Rose, have couched their responses, praising the Trump administration for enforcing immigration law, but not specifically calling out O'Connell.

The other side: At his weekly media availability Friday, O'Connell pushed back on the criticism.

• "The reality is we are doing three things here on the ground in Nashville: We are fighting crime, we are protecting Nashvillians and we are operating the city," he said.
• O'Connell touted his investments in public safety and the city's policing stats, which show violent crime is down 8.5% and property crime is down 8.2% year over year.

The bottom line: O'Connell said he's worked "intentionally" to build working relationships with the state since he was elected. He mentioned transportation, economic development and education as areas where collaboration is important.

• "I do think these scenarios that have a lot of back and forth, frankly in the media, or a lot of back and forth on social media, do put pressure on [the relationships], but we continue those conversations daily," he said.