Rep. Ogles demands documents, alleges Mayor O’Connell obstructed ICE and aided illegal immigration in Nashville.

Ogles Demands Investigation Into Nashville Mayor

Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., is calling for a federal investigation into Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell, accusing him of impeding federal immigration enforcement and possibly aiding illegal immigration. Ogles made the announcement in a video shared on social media, stating that he will not back down from pursuing what he described as a serious breach of public trust and law.

Ogles, with the support of the House Judiciary Committee, is formally requesting all documents and communications from Mayor O’Connell’s office concerning Executive Order 30. He called the directive “outrageous,” saying it requires city employees and first responders to report all communication with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) directly to the mayor.

The congressman also requested access to any internal communications regarding ICE operations in Nashville or Davidson County and all exchanges involving city staff or affiliated NGOs tied to the arrest or detention of undocumented individuals with criminal records.

“The individuals the mayor is standing with are murderers, rapists, drug traffickers, sexual predators, child traffickers,” Ogles claimed. “I choose my community, my state, and my family over this type of nonsense.”

ICE Arrests Spark Tensions Over Enforcement

Ogles' push comes just days after ICE agents, working alongside the Tennessee Highway Patrol, arrested nearly 200 individuals in Middle Tennessee. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said many of those arrested were affiliated with gangs or had serious criminal backgrounds.

Following the operation, DHS publicly criticized O’Connell for opposing the enforcement effort. The department noted the arrest of a convicted child sex offender, an alleged member of the Tren de Aragua gang, and individuals charged with aggravated assault and drug offenses. “The Nashville Mayor should want these criminal illegal aliens off American streets,” DHS stated in a social media post.

In response, Mayor O’Connell issued an executive order tracking communication between city staff and federal immigration authorities and sent a letter to city officials expressing concern. “Our top priority is keeping people safe, and we’re deeply concerned that what appear to be federal actions are making that harder,” he wrote. He clarified that the Metro Nashville Police Department was not involved in the ICE operation and lacks immigration enforcement authority or access to federal immigration databases.

“This type of federal enforcement action is not focused on making us safer and leaves people in our community fearing any interaction with law enforcement when there is a crime occurring,” O’Connell added, promising to seek the names of those detained.

Ogles contends the mayor’s position could constitute misuse of federal funds and obstruction of justice. “The Homeland Security and Judiciary Committees will be conducting an investigation,” he said. “I will not relent, and I will always stand with law enforcement.”

As political tensions rise over immigration enforcement, the conflict between federal agencies and local officials like O’Connell reflects a wider national debate over the limits of municipal authority in immigration matters and the growing use of executive orders to shape local enforcement protocols.