Blue city mayor says ICE arrests are not ‘focused on making us safer’

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conducted operations in Nashville this week, resulting in the arrests of a convicted child sex predator and an alleged gang member. However, Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell criticized the ICE arrests, stating that they were not focused on making the city safer.

In a letter shared by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Mayor O’Connell expressed concern about the ICE arrests, emphasizing that the city’s top priority is keeping people safe. He clarified that no Metropolitan Nashville Police Department (MNPD) personnel were involved in the enforcement actions conducted by ICE.

Mayor O’Connell highlighted that the police department in Nashville does not have federal immigration authority and its members are not trained to conduct immigration enforcement. He also mentioned that the lack of access to federal immigration databases hinders the city’s law enforcement efforts.

The DHS reported that the Nashville operation led to the arrests of a convicted child sex predator, an alleged member of the violent Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, an individual convicted of aggravated assault, and multiple illegal aliens on drug charges. Despite these arrests, Mayor O’Connell criticized the ICE raids, stating that they instill fear in the community and do not contribute to public safety.

In response to the mayor’s criticism, DHS defended the ICE operations, stating that removing criminal illegal aliens from American streets is essential for public safety. They emphasized that ICE officers are facing an increase in assaults and that the agency is fulfilling President Trump’s campaign promise of immigration enforcement.

ICE recently announced that during President Trump’s first 100 days of his second term, they arrested over 66,000 illegal immigrants and removed more than 65,000. The agency highlighted that three in four arrests involved individuals accused of committing crimes, including alleged gang members.

The total number of ICE illegal immigrant arrests included individuals from various gangs, such as Tren de Aragua, MS-13, and 18th Street. Both Tren de Aragua and MS-13 have been listed as foreign terrorist organizations. These arrests are part of ICE’s efforts to enhance public safety and national security.

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