Thread: All Four Nashville Mayoral Candidates Issue Statements on ICE Attempt to Arrest Illeg

All Four Nashville Mayoral Candidates Issue Statements on ICE Attempt to Arrest Illegal Alien in Hermitage

July 24, 2019

Jason Reynolds



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A group of Hermitage neighbors interfered with an attempt by ICE on Monday morning to apprehend an undocumented immigrant man and a 12-year-old boy following a traffic stop, Fox 17 reported.


Neighbors locked arms around a van the immigrants hid in while ICE agents tried to serve a civil warrant (detainer). Agents left after a standoff that lasted more than two hours when the immigrants went into a house, with their access secured by the neighbors. Metro Nashville Police Department officers were on scene but did not participate with ICE, the station said.


On his official Twitter account, incumbent Mayor David Briley tweeted, “Every Nashville resident and family deserves to feel safe, regardless of immigration status. My statement on yesterday’s events.”


His tweet was accompanied with the following statement:

It is my job as Mayor to keep all Nashvillians safe.

On Monday, ICE agents attempted to detain a Nashville resident. However, the agents did not end up detaining the resident, and no arrests were made.

Our police officers do not actively participate in immigration enforcement efforts and only serve as peacekeepers. The officers were at the incident to keep neighbors safe and secure a perimeter.
I am keenly aware this type of activity by our federal government stokes fear and distrust in our most vulnerable communities, which is why we do not use our local resources to enforce ICE orders.

I will continue to work with local advocacy organizations like TIRRC to make sure residents know their rights and that support and resources are available for undocumented immigrants should the need arise.

John Cooper tweeted a series of statements supporting the neighbors and opposing ICE, including: “I am proud of these neighbors and their community for their actions this morning. I want to know more about what role, if any, Metro played in conjunction with ICE this morning. This kind of disruption is unhelpful and harmful to our community on so many levels.”


Cooper also tweeted, “I intend to work with the Sheriff to interpret the 1996 IGSA agreement as narrowly as possible so that Metro resources and local law enforcement are not being used to enforce federal immigration law.”


The Dr. Carol Swain campaign released this statement via email, with the subject line “Carol Swain will uphold the rule of law”:

In case you missed it, Councilman Cooper and his supporters are taking MNPD to task today for doing their job upholding the rule of law. According to state law that came into effect on January 1, 2019, state and local entities are prohibited from adopting policies or practices designed to obstruct cooperation with federal immigration authorities.

Mayoral candidate Carol Swain had this to say:


Metro Police Officers have an important job to do–they are here to enforce the law. For Councilman Cooper to attack their service to score political points is wrong.

As mayor, I will support our police, firefighters, and first responders in their efforts to enforce the laws on the books and to help keep all of our neighborhoods safe. That is job one of the Metro government and it will be priority number one in the Swain administration.

The other candidates can work to change the law as it’s written if they want to, but their personal opinions on illegal immigration should not get in the way of public safety or somehow be used to criticize our brave officers who are risking life and limb to uphold the law.

John Ray Clemmons tweeted, “We deserve answers from Metro leaders on the events in Hermitage this morning involving a father & son. I oppose @MNPDNashville using local resources to support ICE raids when not required by law to do so. Nashville must be a welcoming city to all.”



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Jason M. Reynolds has more than 20 years’ experience as a journalist at outlets of all sizes.
Photo “David Briley” by David Briley. Photo “John Ray Clemmons” by John Ray Clemmons. Photo “John Cooper” by John Cooper.


https://tennesseestar.com/2019/07/24...ring-ice-raid/