Rep. Andy Ogles urges investigation into Nashville’s mayor for allegedly obstructing ICE amid immigration enforcement fallout.

Republican Push for Accountability in ICE Disruption

Tennessee Representative Andy Ogles has called for a formal congressional investigation into Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell, alleging that the Democratic official obstructed federal immigration enforcement and undermined Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations. The request was made in a letter sent this week to House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan and House Homeland Security Chairman Mark Green.

“O’Connell’s recent actions raise serious questions about whether a municipal official is now obstructing federal law enforcement and possibly even actively aiding and abetting illegal aliens,” Ogles wrote. His congressional district includes a portion of Nashville.

The letter follows the fallout from an incident earlier this month in Newark, New Jersey, where three House Democrats and Newark Mayor Ras Baraka were accused of unlawfully entering a detention center. Baraka was arrested after reportedly following a bus full of detainees through the facility’s gates, further intensifying Republican scrutiny of Democratic officials interfering with federal immigration actions.

ICE, in collaboration with the Tennessee Highway Patrol, arrested nearly 200 individuals described by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as illegal immigrants, many with criminal backgrounds or gang ties. In response, Mayor O’Connell issued an executive order focused on monitoring interactions between city personnel and federal immigration authorities.

O’Connell defended his position, stating, “It’s important for us to get this right, and it’s very frustrating to see a failure in the process.” However, the DHS explicitly criticized O’Connell for undermining public safety with comments suggesting that ICE operations were damaging to the community.

“Rather than commend law enforcement for removing dangerous individuals from the streets, the mayor chose instead to signal that federal agents are to be surveilled and distrusted—not supported,” Ogles wrote. He warned that the executive order is being used as a political tool rather than a measure for transparency.

Federal-State Conflict Over Immigration Enforcement Deepens

This incident is part of a broader pattern of tension between the Trump administration and Democratic officials at local and state levels, particularly over sanctuary policies and ICE cooperation. Ogles emphasized the necessity of coordination among all branches of government to maintain the integrity of the U.S. immigration system.

“Our immigration system depends on cooperation and trust across all levels of government,” he wrote. “When elected officials weaponize their offices to score political points by undermining federal law enforcement, they compromise public safety and the rule of law.”

Chairman Jim Jordan is scheduled to hold a hearing next week examining threats to ICE operations, with the Newark detention center incident expected to play a central role in the proceedings. Whether the House committees will act on Ogles’ request remains to be seen, but the political spotlight on immigration enforcement is likely to intensify in the weeks ahead.