ICE finally does its job in Nashville as liberal mayor cries about “terrorizing” communities while violent gang members are arrested.
A massive immigration enforcement operation in Nashville has resulted in 84 arrests of illegal immigrants, including gang members and criminals with serious prior convictions. Federal agents worked with Tennessee State Troopers to conduct approximately 150 traffic stops in predominantly Latino neighborhoods, seizing illegal drugs and firearms. While ICE officials defend the operation as essential for public safety, Nashville’s liberal mayor Freddie O’Connell has accused them of “terrorizing” communities and inflicting “long-lasting trauma” on families—apparently prioritizing illegal residents over enforcement of federal immigration laws.
Federal Immigration Agents Finally Take Action in Nashville
Here’s something you don’t see every day in Biden’s America: immigration laws actually being enforced. ICE agents, teaming up with federal, state, and local law enforcement, arrested 84 undocumented immigrants in the Nashville area during a targeted operation. After conducting approximately 150 traffic stops, officers discovered drivers without valid licenses, seized illegal drugs and weapons, and identified gang members among those arrested. This wasn’t some random dragnet as the left would have you believe—many of those detained had significant criminal histories and outstanding final orders of removal.
Among those arrested was a dangerous gang member and a 39-year-old Mexican national with prior removals and felony convictions. These aren’t the “dreamers” or “hard-working families” that liberal politicians love to showcase in their immigration fairytales. These are exactly the kind of individuals that ICE should be targeting—career criminals who have repeatedly violated our borders and laws while endangering American communities.
Liberal Officials Outraged Over Enforcement of Actual Laws
Predictably, Nashville’s leftist leadership is throwing a tantrum over federal agents doing their job. Mayor Freddie O’Connell immediately distanced himself from the operation, making sure everyone knew that Metro Nashville Police Department and the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office did not participate. Heaven forbid local law enforcement help enforce actual laws. Instead of celebrating the removal of dangerous criminals from his city, O’Connell accused ICE of “terrorizing” the community.
“The trauma inflicted on families is long-lasting, and I’m doing everything in my power consistent with applicable law to protect anyone who calls Nashville home. What’s clear today is that people who do not share our values of safety and community have the authority to cause deep community harm.” – Freddie O’Connell
You read that correctly. According to Nashville’s mayor, immigration officers enforcing federal law “do not share our values of safety and community.” Apparently, in the progressive playbook, “safety” means allowing criminal aliens to remain in your city, and “community” means ignoring the rule of law. O’Connell’s position is crystal clear: he values illegal residents over the enforcement of immigration laws designed to protect American citizens.
ICE Defends Their Mission While Activists Spread Misinformation
ICE officials have been refreshingly straightforward about their objectives, emphasizing that their operations focus specifically on individuals who threaten public safety or national security. As they should. Despite activists claiming the operations were random or based on racial profiling, the evidence suggests otherwise. The targeted areas had histories of traffic crashes and suspected gang activity, which is precisely where law enforcement should be focusing their attention.
“Protecting the safety and security of our communities remains a top priority for ICE. As part of our ongoing mission to uphold U.S. immigration laws, our targeted enforcement operations are specifically focused on individuals who threaten public safety or national security. These efforts help ensure that our neighborhoods remain safe and that immigration laws are enforced.” – New Orleans Field Office Director Mellissa Harper
While advocacy groups like TIRRC claim that these operations “shatter families” and “erode trust in law enforcement,” they conveniently ignore the fact that everyone arrested had already broken the law by entering or remaining in the country illegally. Many had committed additional crimes. The real erosion of trust in law enforcement comes when officials like Mayor O’Connell undermine federal agencies that are simply doing their constitutional duty.
America Deserves Law Enforcement That Enforces Laws
What happened in Nashville is what should be happening across the country every single day. Immigration laws exist for a reason—to protect our sovereignty, our communities, and yes, to maintain an orderly and legal immigration system that benefits America. When mayors and advocacy groups howl about the enforcement of these laws, they reveal their true agenda: open borders and selective enforcement of laws they personally agree with.
The operation in Nashville will continue throughout the week with additional stops. Good. The federal government’s first responsibility is to protect American citizens, not to coddle those who’ve repeatedly violated our laws. While the left continues its handwringing over “community trauma,” the rest of us can appreciate seeing law enforcement agencies doing exactly what they’re supposed to do—enforcing the law and removing dangerous individuals from our communities. Maybe, just maybe, this is a sign that someone in the federal government has finally remembered what their job actually is.
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