In November, Tennesseans and Americans across the country voted overwhelmingly to get crime under control, secure our border and remove criminal illegal aliens from our country.
Since Inauguration Day, President Trump and congressional Republicans have been working hard to carry out this mandate. Yet, in recent weeks, Democrats have tried their best to obstruct the will of We the People—including in Tennessee.
Just last week, Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell doxxed federal law enforcement officers after Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers worked with the Tennessee Highway Patrol to arrest nearly 200 criminal illegal aliens in Nashville, including convicted rapists, drug dealers, and individuals affiliated with MS-13.
By releasing these officers’ names to the public, Mayor O’Connell has handed criminal gangs information on a silver platter that they can use to target these officers and their families.
This disturbing action stems from an executive order the mayor issued following the arrests requiring city departments to report any interactions with federal immigration authorities to his office. Now, Mayor O’Connell is apparently using this information to make it more difficult for law enforcement to do their jobs, undermine President Trump’s efforts to make America safe again, and turn Nashville into a sanctuary city, which Tennessee law explicitly forbids.
Law enforcement officers deserve our unwavering support, especially at a time when ICE officers are facing a 413 percent increase in assaults as they work to remove criminal illegal aliens from our streets. That’s why, on Friday, I sent a letter urging Attorney General Bondi and the Department of Justice to investigate the mayor’s actions to determine whether he is using taxpayer dollars to aid illegal aliens and obstruct federal law enforcement efforts. I will also use every available tool in the Senate to investigate the mayor and hold him accountable for threatening Tennesseans’ safety.
Make no mistake: If Mayor O’Connell broke the law, he must resign from his position immediately.
Thankfully, the Trump administration is already taking action to address the threat posed by blue cities that harbor criminals who have no right to be in our country.
After Mayor O’Connell released the ICE agents’ information, Border Czar Tom Homan said the administration will “flood the zone with agents” in Nashville to ensure that criminal illegal aliens are removed from our communities.
On Thursday, the Trump administration also released a list of cities and counties across more than 30 states that have been identified as sanctuary jurisdictions, including Shelby County and Nashville. By identifying these cities and counties, the administration can work to ensure that they are complying with federal immigration laws and not undermining ICE agents who are keeping Americans safe.
These efforts are especially important as Democrats continue to side with criminal illegal aliens over American citizens. Just last month, three House Democrats stormed an ICE facility in New Jersey and engaged in a melee with federal law enforcement officers. As a result, Democrat congresswoman LaMonica McIver (N.J.) now faces federal charges of assaulting, impeding, or interfering with law enforcement.
One thing should be clear: President Trump and Republicans are standing for law and order. Democrats, meanwhile, are standing for criminals, lawlessness, and open borders.