Metro Nashville Council deferred action to the second meeting in July on a proposed ordinance that council legislative staff said was illegal. In its current form, the bill would ban License Plate Reader use for cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
This is the second time that action on the bill was deferred.
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Metro Nashville Council deferred action on a bill on second reading that council legislative staff said was illegal. In its current form, the bill bans License Plate Reader use for cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
When the issue came up at the meeting, Councilman Mendes asked for committee reports. The requisite committees recommended deferring the ordinance for two meeting. Councilman Mendes then moved to defer consideration of the ordinance for two meetings.
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In Tennessee, driving without a license is a misdemeanor. Advocacy efforts to stop enforcing this part of the state’s criminal code because it may affect illegal aliens disproportionately have paid off.
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On November 6th, Davidson County voters will decide whether to accept “Amendment #1” and establish a $1.5 million civilian board to oversee the city’s police department. The proposed legislation would establish a Community Oversight Board (COB) with very broad disciplinary authority over the Metro Nashville Police Department. If the charter amendment is approved by voters, an unelected board of community activists will also be authorized to recommend policy changes for the police department and other “agencies involved in public safety and the administration of justice.” Broad and vague language vesting the COB with input into law enforcement policy may well result in undermining Tennessee’s enhanced anti-sanctuary city law passed by the state General Assembly session during the last session. Notably, per Amendment #1, a Davidson County resident’s illegal immigration status does not disqualify an illegal alien from serving on the board. Asked to review Amendment #1 posted on the Davidson County Election Commission website, Ira Mehlman, a spokesman for the Federation for Immigration Reform (FAIR) confirmed to The Tennessee Star that: there is nothing in the language that would preclude illegal aliens from serving on the review board. We find it highly objectionable that people whose very presence in the community…
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The usual Nashville left wing organizations–including the ACLU and the Tennessee Immigrants and Refugee Rights Coalition [TIRRC]–flooded Legislative Plaza on Wednesday with a crowd comprised of mainly teenagers and young adults in their twenties, decrying the “racist” anti-sanctuary cities legislation sitting on the desk of Gov. Haslam, awaiting his decision to sign, veto, or allow the bill to become law without his signature. One protester held up a large pink and blue sign that read “HB-2315 is Racist.” Another man in his twenties, with a cell phone to his ear, held up a sign that read “Gov Haslam Stop Deportations Veto: Bill HB 2315.” A young woman in her twenties held up a green handmade sign that read “We’re Helping Nashville to be Great. Please Stop HB 2315.” A number of elementary school and junior high school children were in the crowd. A young boy, about 12 years old, stood on the Legislative Plaza steps, holding one edge of a Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition Banner. The other edge of the banner was held by a woman in her twenties. A young girl, about 11 years old, stood on the front row and held the edge of…
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The sanctuary city issue could influence the outcome of the 2019 re-election bid of California-born Nashville Mayor “Moonbeam” Megan Barry, a new Tennessee Star Poll shows. When asked “In the next local Nashville/Davidson County election, are you more likely or less likely to vote for a mayoral candidate who supports Nashville becoming a sanctuary city,” 41.3 percent of likely Nashville/Davidson County voters said they were much less likely, while only 25.6 percent said they were much more likely. Intensity of feeling on this issue is with the opponents of sanctuary city proposals. Overall, 47.4 percent of likely Nashville/Davidson County voters were less likely to support a mayoral candidate who supports Nashville becoming a sanctuary city, while 43.6 percent were more likely: 25.6% Much more likely 18.0% Somewhat more likely 6.1% Somewhat less likely 41.3% Much less likely 9.0% Not sure/don’t know “Two major points leap out at me from this particular poll result,” media consultant and political analyst Steve Gill tells The Tennessee Star. “First, while 43.6% of the likely voters responding are somewhat more or much more likely to support a mayoral candidate who supported Sanctuary City status for Nashville, 47.4% were somewhat less likely or much less likely…
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A new Tennessee Star Poll shows likely Nashville voters are evenly split over the “sanctuary city” proposal recently withdrawn by Metro Council members Bob Mendes and Colby Sledge. The poll of 533 likely Nashville voters was conducted within hours of Mendes’ announcement last week that he and Sledge were permanently withdrawing a controversial “sanctuary city” ordinance from a vote on third reading by the Metro Nashville Council scheduled for July 6, as well as a related ordinance scheduled for an August vote. When asked, “Metro Nashville Council was scheduled to vote on a proposal next week that would, in effect, turn Nashville into a sanctuary city where illegal immigrants are protected from arrest and deportation. Do you support or oppose the proposal for Nashville to become a sanctuary city?,” 49.4 percent supported, while 47.1 percent opposed, a statistical tie since the 2.3 percent differential is within the poll’s 4.2 percent margin of error: 31.9% Strongly support 17.5% Somewhat support 8.6% Somewhat oppose 38.5% Strongly oppose 3.4% Not sure/don’t know The poll results directly contradict Mendes’ claim made last week when he withdrew the controversial sanctuary city ordinances that “Inside the county, the support has been overwhelming for these bills.” Of particular…
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State Representatives Judd Matheny (R-Tullahoma), Bryan Terry (R-Murfeesboro), and Sheila Butt (R-Columbia), who spearheaded the effort to obtain signatures of 63 members of the Tennessee House of Representatives on a letter expressing opposition to the proposed, now withdrawn, Metro Nashville sanctuary city ordinances, released a statement about that withdrawal on Thursday. “Yesterday, with the withdrawing of the proposed Nashville sanctuary city ordinances by Councilmen Mendes and Sledge, the voices of many Tennesseans were heard. The threat of Nashville becoming a sanctuary city or even a de facto sanctuary city for illegal immigrants who commit criminal offenses mobilized grassroots organizations and numerous citizens to stand in the gap for the safety and security of all Tennesseans and legal residents of the state including immigrants and refugees,” the statement began. “We would like to personally thank the individuals and organizations that advocated for their fellow Tennesseans by emailing and calling their elected officials including Metro Nashville Council Members. We are a government of, for, and by the people and public participation is the cornerstone of our republic,” the statement continued: Additionally, we would like to thank the Tennessee General Assembly for their overwhelming and decisive response to the pending legislation. There were…
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NASHVILLE, Tennessee — Metro Councilman Bob Mendes is blaming opposition from people outside Davidson County for thwarting two “sanctuary city” bills, saying the proposed legislation had broad support among Nashvillians. “Inside the county, the support has been overwhelming for these bills,” he said at a press conference Wednesday, where he announced he will withdraw the bills because of growing opposition and a legal opinion issued Monday by Metro’s lead attorney that presented obstacles. Mendes said the bills had become “a political football” among candidates for office, specifically mentioning the Republican primary for next year’s gubernatorial election. All of the announced and anticipated candidates spoke out against the bills. The opposition became so fierce, with many state legislators opposed and also a budding grassroots movement, that Mendes’ claim of broad support within Davidson County is likely debatable. Mendes and other supporters vowed Wednesday to find non-legislative ways to achieve the same ends. “Our goals are unchanged,” he said. Those goals are at odds with the direction many in the country and across Tennessee want to take with the challenges posed by illegal immigration, leaving Mendes and his like-minded colleagues isolated in Nashville’s liberal enclaves. President Trump, whose tough talk helped…
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Metro Nashville Council members Bob Mendes and Colby Sledge announced at a press conference held Wednesday afternoon on the steps of the Nashville Courthouse they are withdrawing the two controversial “sanctuary city” ordinances they introduced as sponsors earlier this year. Standing in front of about a dozen supporters of the ordinances from the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugees Rights Coaliton (TIRCC), some carrying signs that said “Stand Up to Hate,” Mendes said he and Sledge were withdrawing both ordinances. One ordinance had already passed two of its required three readings and was scheduled for a vote on a third and final reading at the next Metro Council meeting scheduled for July 6. Mendes told the local media outlets present at the press conference that the ordinance could not be amended prior to the third reading, and therefore would be withdrawn. The second ordinance scheduled for a vote in August will also be withdrawn. The need for an amendment became apparent when Metro Director of Law Jon Cooper issued a legal opinion on Monday saying the ordinances were “not enforceable,” and Mayor Barry on Tuesday asked the Metro Council to “reconsider” the ordinances. Mendes did not indicate whether he and Sledge would…
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State Rep. Judd Matheny (R-Tullahoma) was in Jackson County on Tuesday, where he spoke to a crowd in Gainesboro about Nashville’s attempt to become a bona fide sanctuary city. Matheny spoke of the overwhelming number of Republican House members who are opposing the measure and who will intensify the fight against the initiative should a third reading pass or the motion simply be tabled for a later date. Matheny noted that the most up to date and reliable coverage of the sanctuary city issue has been provided by The Tennessee Star. The residents attending the meeting expressed strong approval for efforts to stop the Nashville sanctuary city ordinance, and were particularly interested in the details of the plans to oppose it. Matheny, as one of the leaders in the Tennessee General Assembly of the effort to stop the Nashville sanctuary city ordinance, provided details about the 63 members of the Tennessee House of Representatives who signed a letter, which was sent from his office, outlining their opposition to proposed ordinance, and asking members of the Metro Nashville City Council to vote against it. First elected to the Tennessee House of Representatives in 2002, Matheny is one of at least two conservatives who…
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Dan Walker, a candidate for State Representative in the 57th District, which is currently represented by State Rep. Susan Lynn (R-Mt. Juliet), released a statement on the proposed Nashville sanctuary city ordinance to The Tennessee Star late Tuesday. “As a candidate for State Representative of the 57th District I stand alongside every elected official at the local or state level who opposes Nashville’s proposed sanctuary city ordinance. This needs to be a united fight and together it will be defeated,” Walker said. “I will fight against this legislation, which ties the hands of the local law enforcement officials to incarcerate illegals who have an outstanding felony,” Walker added: This will cause Nashville and surrounding cities to be a safe haven for illegal immigrant crime activity. We the people need to stand together to keep the Metro Nashville area protected from any further crime and drug activity. It is important to keep our state’s capital city and tourism base secure. Real leadership is needed in Nashville on Capitol Hill. As a military veteran, I signed an oath to uphold the Constitution and protect my country against all enemies both foreign and domestic. With your vote I will take this fight to…
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Two more Republican members of the Tennessee House of Representatives have joined their 63 colleagues in expressing their opposition to Nashville proposed sanctuary city ordinance. On Monday, State Rep. Judd Matheny, State Rep. Bryan Terry and State Rep. Sheila Butt released a letter signed by 63 Republican members of the House expressing their opposition to the controversial ordinance, which will receive a third and final reading at the Metro Nashville Council meeting on July 6. On Tuesday, State Rep. Susan Lynn (R-Mt. Juliet) and State Rep. Kevin Brooks (R-Cleveland) released their own letter, bringing the total number of Republican members of the Tennessee House of Representatives on the record in opposition to the proposed sanctuary city ordinance to 65. The press release provided to The Tennessee Star by Rep. Kevin Brooks on his official letterhead dated June 26, 2017, states: Wilson and Bradley County Representatives Express Strong Opposition to Sanctuary City Ordinances (NASHVILLE) – Representatives Susan Lynn (R-Wilson) and Representative Kevin Brooks (R-Bradley) today expressed disapproval of two ordinances proposed by Metro Councilmen Bob Mendes and Colby Sledge. The ordinances would in effect make Nashville a sanctuary city. “In 2009, the state legislature made it clear that sanctuary cities are prohibited in Tennessee. I…
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Sponsors of Metro Council’s proposed “sanctuary city” ordinance are saying they will not ask their fellow council members to vote on the bill July 6 as originally scheduled. In an email to their colleagues obtained by The Tennessee Star, council members Bob Mendes and Colby Sledge said they are working on plans to hold a press conference Wednesday with other advocates of the bill to discuss the matter. The Tuesday afternoon email followed a public statement in the morning by Mayor Megan Barry asking the council to reconsider the ordinance. Barry raised concerns resulting from the release Monday of a written opinion from Metro’s law director, who said the council can’t legally keep the sheriff from cooperating with federal immigration officials. She also said the Metro Nashville Police Department has concerns about the proposed ordinance. Metro Council passed the bill on a second reading last week, but opposition to the ordinance has grown fast in recent days, with nine state senators now joining 63 House members in opposition, with more expected. A grassroots movement is also mobilizing to stop the bill. In their email, Mendes and Sledge said they need more time to review the law director’s legal opinion. It was unclear…
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Nine State Senators released a letter Tuesday joining the 63 members of the Tennessee House of Representatives who on Monday expressed their unequivocal opposition to a proposed sanctuary city ordinance that awaits a third and final vote in Metro Nashville Council on July 6. The Council passed the controversial ordinance on second reading June 20 in a 25 to 8 vote. The letter was released by the office of State Senator Mae Beavers (R-Mt. Juliet), an announced candidate for the Republican nomination for governor, and is signed (physically or virtually) by eight additional State Senators, including State Senator Paul Bailey (R-Sparta), Senator Mike Bell (R-Riceville), Senator Mark Green (R-Clarksville), Kerry Roberts (R-Springfield), Senator Ferrell Haile (R-Gallatin), Senator Joey Hensley (R-Hohenwald), Senator Jack Johnson (R-Franklin), and Janice Bowling (R-Tullahoma). The two-page statement begins: With the Second Reading of the Ordinances filed by Metro Councilmen Bob Mendes and Colby Sledge having passed and a vote pending from the Metro Council, we are compelled to make public the intent and purposes of this Ordinance and to make it known that as Representatives of the State of Tennessee, we soundly object to their passage. Tennessee is currently being represented by the Thomas More Law Center…
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The Tennessee Star reported Monday that fully 63 of the 99 State Representatives signed a letter opposing the Metro Nashville Council’s ordinance proposal, BL2017-739, to make Music City a criminal-friendly ‘sanctuary city.’ One of the names missing from the letter was Representative Susan Lynn, and challenger Jeremy Hayes noticed. “I am extremely disheartened, but not surprised that my opponent did not feel the need to sign the letter, with the sixty-three other representatives, informing the Metro Council this bill will not be accepted. Bills like this are illegal, thanks to laws that Joe Carr sponsored, and even metro council’s attorney, John Cooper, has said that the bill cannot be enforced” said Hayes in a statement. He added: This is the reason I am running for office, because my opponent has sold out to special interest groups, and no longer cares about representing our district, even when our families are at risk. I am sure that once she see’s not speaking out against the “Sanctuary City” bill is politically damaging she will be motivated to act, but we need leadership in our district, not someone who has to judge the political tides before they say something. When elected I will fight…
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Nashville Mayor Megan Barry released a statement Tuesday morning asking the Metro Council to reconsider an ordinance that would restrict local cooperation with federal immigration officials. The ordinance passed on a second reading last week and is up for a final vote July 6. Barry was acting in response to a formal legal opinion issued Monday by Metro Law Director Jon Cooper stating that the ordinance could not be applied to the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office. Barry said: It is clear from this legal opinion that BL2017-739 does not apply to Sheriff Daron Hall, who has said he will continue to honor detainer requests from the federal government. Additionally, the Metro Nashville Police Department has concerns that the ordinance would prohibit them from recommending U visa applications for immigrants who are victims of crime and willing to help put dangerous criminals in jail. Losing that law enforcement tool could jeopardize public safety and would run counter to the intentions of the sponsors to make Nashville a more welcoming city for New Americans. The Metro Council should give serious consideration to these factors and reconsider whether this legislation is appropriate or necessary at this time. In his legal opinion, Cooper said that…
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“I am proud of Representatives Judd Matheny, Bryan Terry, Sheila Butt, and the other 60 Republican State House members who expressed their opposition to the proposed Sanctuary City plan for Nashville that is headed towards a final vote on July 6,” State Senator Mae Beavers (R-Mt. Juliet), an announced candidate for the Republican nomination for governor, told The Tennessee Star Monday evening. “I hope the remaining House Republican caucus members will immediately add their names to the letter and that House Democrats will also speak up against Mayor Barry’s embrace and endorsement of illegal activity that threatens the safety and security of our state,” Beavers added. The Republican gubernatorial candidate then made her own significant announcement. “I plan to circulate the same letter among ALL my Senate colleagues and hope we can show the same sort of leadership the House Republicans have demonstrated in denouncing the illegal scheme that Nashville’s Metro Council is pursuing,” Beavers said. “It is time for the Democrats to join us in opposing a plan that puts Tennesseans at continued risk of both losing their jobs AND the security we all want for our families. It is impossible to condone illegal activity and also expect our community…
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Metro Nashville’s “Director of Law Jon Cooper has found that Davidson County Sheriff Daron Hall would not be bound by the council’s ordinance prohibiting him from cooperating with federal authorities on immigration,” Nick Beres reported early Tuesday morning at NewsChannel 5: An opinion from Metro’s legal director has found that the proposed immigration ordinance in Nashville is not enforceable. . . Metro’s Director of Law Jon Cooper has found that Davidson County Sheriff Daron Hall would not be bound by the council’s ordinance prohibiting him from cooperating with federal authorities on immigration. Not only that, Cooper found that the ordinance would not be enforceable because it violates the Metro Charter. “Sheriff Hall has said all along he would not honor the ordinance because it’s a public safety issue,” NewsChannel 5 reported: “To ask me to ignore everything with immigration is to let that person go who is a serious criminal local violator or federal immigration violator,” Hall said. Hall also said he didn’t believe the council had the authority to tell him how to do his job, and the city attorney agreed. This legal opinion from the city’s own attorney could kill or possibly delay the final vote on…
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Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill Lee released a statement Monday evening offering “Comments on Tennessee House Member’s Statement on Nashville City Council Sanctuary City Proposal.” On Monday afternoon, the office of State Rep. Judd Matheny (R-Tullahoma) released a statement prepared by Matheny, State Rep. Bryan Terry (R-Murfreesoboro) and State Rep. Sheila Butt (R-Columbia) and signed by 63 Republican members of the Tennessee House of Representatives imploring members of the Metro Nashville City Council to reject a proposed sanctuary city ordinance. “I am 100% opposed to ‘sanctuary cities.’ Creating a ‘sanctuary city’ in Nashville puts our entire state at risk and as Governor, I would use every tool at my disposal to halt the adoption of these types of policies,” Lee said in the statement. “We are a welcoming and compassionate state. Tennesseans want to ensure those who come here do so legally and safely. A ‘sanctuary city’ policy ensures the opposite,” Lee concluded in his statement.
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Organizers of a rally planned to stop the proposed sanctuary city ordinance tell The Tennessee Star the event will be held outside Metro Nashville Council’s chambers in front of the Metro Nashville Courthouse at the corner of 3rd Avenue and Union Street in downtown Nashville at 4:30 pm on Thursday, July 6. The rally will start an hour and a half before the Metro Nashville Council meeting begins where the vote on the third and final reading of the controversial sanctuary city ordinance is scheduled to be held. After the rally, attendees will go inside the Courthouse for the Council meeting in anticipation of the vote on the third reading. T-shirts saying “Keep Nashville Safe. Just Vote No,” will be available at the rally. As The Star reported, the Metro Nashville Council voted 25 to 8 in favor of the proposed ordinance at a second reading held at its June 20th meeting. On Monday, organizers formed a 501 (c) 4 non-profit organization, Tying Nashville Together, Inc., whose sole purpose will be to stop the sanctuary city bill. A website and Facebook page will be up soon, organizers tell The Star. Founding board members will be announced later this week. On…
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Sixty-three members of the 99 member Tennessee House of Representatives, all Republicans, released a statement opposing the passage of a proposed sanctuary city ordinance by Metro Nashville Council. “With the Second Reading of the Ordinances filed by Metro Councilmen Bob Mendes and Colby Sledge having passed and a vote pending from the Metro Council, we are compelled to make public the intent and purposes of this Ordinance and to make it known that as Representatives of the State of Tennessee, we soundly object to their passage. Tennessee is currently being represented by the Thomas More Law Center in a lawsuit questioning the ongoing practice of settling refugees in Tennessee through various non-governmental organizations without the proper vetting, channels or protocol being followed,” State Rep. Judd Matheny (R-Tullahoma), State Rep. Bryan Terry (R-Murfreesboro), and State Rep. Sheila Butt (R-Columbia) said in a statement released on Monday from Matheny’s office: The Ordinances would formally put policies in place that would officially make Nashville a Sanctuary City. In essence, the Ordinances would: 1) Prohibit Metro Nashville employees from inquiring into anyone’s immigration status, effectively enabling illegal aliens to access public benefits they would otherwise be barred from using. This practice is not…
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Latinos For Tennessee is opposing the “sanctuary city” ordinance being considered by Metro Council that would restrict cooperation with federal immigration officials in Nashville and Davidson County. The ordinance passed a second reading last week and will be considered for a final vote July 6. Tommy Vallejos, chairman of the conservative group, issued the following statement in a news release: Nashville’s decision to create a sanctuary city is an affront to the rule of law and puts the well-being of the entire state at risk by blatantly ignoring federal immigration law. True compassion for our community means upholding the rule of law—one of the central pillars of any free, fair and secure society. The Davidson County Sheriff opposes this proposal, and we agree that tying the hands of local law enforcement is not only legally questionable, but it’s dangerous. Just last week in Virginia, Darwin Martinez Torres was arrested for brutally killing a 17-year-old girl. Torres is an illegal immigrant who should not have been in this country at all—he had already been held on local charges that made him removable from the United States. Nashville’s Metro Council still has time to prevent this ordinance from being enacted by rejecting the…
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Almost immediately after the Metro Nashville Council voted on second reading to pass a sanctuary city ordinance last week, Congressman Diane Black (R-TN-06), State Rep. Judd Matheny (R-Tullahoma) and gubernatorial candidates, Mae Beavers and Bill Lee, issued strong rebukes to the city’s move to violate federal and state law. The Randy Boyd campaign, despite being asked directly by The Tennessee Star for a comment regarding the proposed Nashville ordinance, did not respond. In a state where The Tennessee Star’s polling results showed that 1,007 likely Republican primary voters rejected in-state college tuition for illegal aliens by a stunning 84 percent to 11 percent margin and where 1.5 million voters helped elect President Trump, Boyd’s silence on a key immigration issue, could prove costly to his campaign. Three days after announcing his candidacy for governor on March 6, 2017, The Star reported on Boyd’s $250,000 donation in 2016 to Conexion Americas, an affiliate partner of the National Council of La Raza (NC La Raza). Renata Soto, co- founder and executive director of Conexion Americas served for three years as vice-president of the NC La Raza Board and was elected to lead the NC La Raza board in 2015, the year before Boyd made his donation. Days later The Star asked Boyd whether he knew…
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NASHVILLE, Tennessee–An overflow crowd of about 200 met at John A’s restaurant on Music Valley Drive in Nashville on Saturday morning at 9 a.m. and heard from opponents of the proposed Metro Nashville Council sanctuary city ordinance, who outlined the actions they can join to defeat the proposal at its third reading on July 6. As The Tennessee Star reported last week, “[t]wo ordinances filed by Metro Councilmen Bob Mendes and Colby Sledge, drafted with the assistance of the TN Immigrant & Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC) and cheered on by Mayor Megan Barry, will make Davidson County and Metro Nashville the most liberal sanctuary city in the U.S.; in fact, even more liberal in its policies than New York City or San Francisco.” TIRRC, an affiliate of the National Council of La Raza and a recipient of funding from a George Soros front group, has been agitating for Nashville to formalize its informal sanctuary city practices since the election of President Trump. The two bills co-sponsored by Mendes and Sledge which will have their second reading tonight, will accomplish that goal. Trying to pass off the ordinances as “in line with state and federal law” the other Mendes/Sledge bill if…
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The Metro Nashville school board is supporting Metro government’s proposed “sanctuary city” policy despite a growing chorus of opposition. The board sent a letter to the Metro Council this week encouraging passage of the ordinance, which was approved on a second reading Tuesday and will be up for a final vote next month. The ordinance would restrict local cooperation with federal immigration officials. “We celebrate the diversity in our schools and want them to be safe places for our students and families,” school board chair Anna Shepherd told The Tennessee Star Thursday. “Most of them are fleeing drug wars and/or civil wars and want better for their families just as our ancestors did.” Nashville Mayor Megan Barry, whose left-wing, open borders, pro-illegal immigrant political philosophy is in line with the ordinance, has worked closely with the Metro Nashville school board since she was elected in 2015. When the search for a new director of schools stalled in 2016, Barry asserted a leadership role in the search process that ended in the appointment of Shawn Joseph to that position in May 2016. In the letter to Metro Council sent on behalf of the board, Shepherd voiced concerns about illegal immigrant…
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State Senator Jim Tracy (R-Shelbyville) said the “sanctuary city” ordinance that passed on second reading at the Metro Nashville Council on Tuesday “clearly defies the the letter and spirit of our state law,” in a statement released on Wednesday by the Senate Republican Caucus: Senate Speaker Pro Tempore Jim Tracy (R-Shelbyville), who passed a law in 2009 preventing any city in Tennessee from becoming a “sanctuary city” for illegal aliens, said any action taken by Metro Government of Nashville to try to skirt it will draw a strong legislative response. The Metropolitan Council approved the ordinance on Tuesday evening, setting the measure up for a final vote next month. The law sponsored by Tracy prohibits local governments in Tennessee, or the head of such localities, from passing any ordinances or policies that allows for a sanctuary city to be located in the state. It was designed to be a preemptive strike to guard against adoption of any policies to protect those who are in the United States illegally, like the one adopted by the Metro Council yesterday. It also urged the State Attorney General and local governments to pursue any federal funds allocated to combat illegal immigration. “There is a…
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Commentary by Joe Carr A plan to make Davidson County a “sanctuary city” for illegal immigrants passed earlier this week on second reading and is headed to a final vote in the Metro Council next month. Citizens in Nashville, and in the surrounding area who will be affected if the city becomes an even bigger magnet for illegal aliens, have valid concerns about the plan. Any public policy that embraces and endorses illegal activity of any kind is clearly wrong. The plan promoted by Mayor Megan Berry is not just bad policy, it is ILLEGAL policy under Tennessee law AND Federal law. In 2009 as a member of the Tennessee House of Representatives, I wrote, sponsored and passed one of the nation’s first, if not THE first, “No Sanctuary City Law.” The law was in response to various California municipalities passing ordinances requiring their law enforcement officials not to comply with the 1996 Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigration Responsibility Act (the IIRIR). That federal law included section 8 U.S.C. 1373, which provided that no state or local entity can in any way restrict its law-enforcement officials from communicating with federal immigration authorities regarding an individual’s citizenship or immigration status.…
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Three announced or anticipated Republican candidates for governor are weighing in with strongly worded opposition to the Metro Davidson County Sanctuary City plan that passed earlier this week on second reading and which is headed to a final vote in July. Proponents claim the ordinances are “in line with state and federal law” but one of the Mendes/Sledge bills if passed will, by prohibiting Metro Nashville employees from inquiring into immigration status, effectively enable illegal aliens to access public benefits they would otherwise be barred by law from obtaining. Announced candidates Bill Lee and State Senator Mae Beavers (R-Mt. Juliet) along with Congressman Diane Black (R-TN-06) delivered strong messages of opposition to the Metro Nashville Council’s plan. Announced candidate Randy Boyd has not commented on the plan. Congressman Black, who is a member of the House Border Security Caucus and author of the Stop Dangerous Sanctuary Cities Act, is expected to run for Governor though she has not yet confirmed her plans. She has condemned the Metro Council decision to obstruct immigration law, putting illegal aliens first and the safety and security of Tennessee families last. “First and foremost, as a mother and a grandmother, I implore the Council…
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Twenty-five out of thirty-nine members present at Tuesday’s Metro Council meeting voted to pass the Mendes/Sledge ordinance forward to a third reading and final vote at the next regularly scheduled Council meeting. The ordinance will, in effect, turn Nashville into a “sanctuary city,” and set up an inevitable confrontation with both the state and federal government. It is also in line with the left-wing, open borders, pro-illegal immigrant political philosophy of Nashville Mayor Megan Barry, a Democrat. The vote was preceded by impassioned statements both pro and con; some more factually accurate than others. Admissions were made that parents are not taking their children to be immunized, victims of domestic violence complaints are not coming forward and there is pervasive fear of interacting with law enforcement. Councilman Scott Davis claimed that downtown hotel cleaners aren’t getting paid because they’re told “you’re illegal. I don’t have to pay you.” The general theme running through supporters was this bill would make the city safer for everyone, “citizens or not,” phrasing used by Councilman Mendes to avoid the legally accurate term “illegal alien.” Mendes claimed that cities are allowed to “have choice” regarding how much they do over and above federal and state law and…
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State Rep. Judd Matheny (R-Tullahoma) tore into the Metro Nashville Council’s proposed sanctuary city ordinances on the Dan Mandis Show on 99.7 FM WWTN Tuesday. As The Tennessee Star reported on Tuesday, the Metro Nashville Council is currently considering two ordinances that would, in effect, turn Nashville into a sanctuary city. “It’s the most egregious move against public safety that the city of Nashville could possibly expose its citizens, and emergency services and social work to,” Matheny said. “It’s completely antithetical to the United States Constitution, and America. And the city of Nashville – with all due respect – they need to remember that the City operates at the pleasure of the State,” Matheny added: If they move forward with this – which I hope the’ll have the sense about them to not have a second reading (much less a third) and try to pass it – they can expect swift and severe action be the State of Tennessee. The taxpayers of Davidson county will suffer incomprehensibly if this passes. Organized crime will come to this town like a magnet from all over the country. The police will be a great risk. The citizens will be at great risk.…
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Two ordinances filed by Metro Councilmen Bob Mendes and Colby Sledge, drafted with the assistance of the TN Immigrant & Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC) and cheered on by Mayor Megan Barry, will make Davidson County and Metro Nashville the most liberal sanctuary city in the U.S.; in fact, even more liberal in its policies than New York City or San Francisco. The Metro Council may hold the second of the three required readings of one or both bills during its regularly scheduled meeting tonight. TIRRC, an affiliate of the National Council of La Raza and a recipient of funding from a George Soros front group, has been agitating for Nashville to formalize its informal sanctuary city practices since the election of President Trump. The two bills co-sponsored by Mendes and Sledge which will have their second reading tonight, will accomplish that goal. Trying to pass off the ordinances as “in line with state and federal law” the other Mendes/Sledge bill if passed will, by prohibiting Metro Nashville employees from inquiring into anyone’s immigration status, effectively enable illegal aliens to access public benefits they would otherwise be barred from using. Using the ruse that it’s “bad policy and bad practice”for the Metro Council to…
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On April 7, 2017, Saudi national Abdullah Mansour Abriq, a former student at Tennessee State University, sued Metro Nashville, Davidson County and their sheriff Daron Hall alleging that being held in the Davidson County jail on a detainer request from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), violates his constitutional rights and that the sheriff is prohibited from cooperating with ICE. The lawsuit, filed in federal court with Abriq as the lead plaintiff, is a class action on behalf of “hundred and likely thousands of immigrants” being held because of ICE detainer requests, and will be heard by Obama nominated Chief Judge Waverly Crenshaw whose lifetime appointment was supported by Tennessee Senators Alexander and Corker. Abriq is identified in the complaint as a “foreign national who immigrated to the United States under an F-1 student visa.” The F-1 visa is a type of non-immigrant visa that allows a person to be educated in the U.S. if they meet certain conditions. Typically, absent an extension, the student must leave the country once the term or conditions of the visa expire. Visa overstayers are considered unlawfully present in the U.S. and can be deported. In 2016, a bill endorsed by the Haslam administration…
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“Federal Funding of America’s Sanctuary Cities” a report released this month by Openthebooks.com, includes Nashville as a sanctuary city that has received a total of $231,115,291.00 in direct payments and pass through federal grants that was part of the $26.741 billion federal dollars directed to 106 sanctuary cities. The report includes an interactive map that includes the details of federal funding for each identified sanctuary city. On January 25, 2017, President Trump issued an executive order “Enhancing Public Safety in the Interior of the United States” which included a directive to withhold non-mandatory federal funding to jurisdictions that elect not to comply with federal immigration laws regarding deportation of illegal aliens. Authors of the report suggest that the executive order was the impetus to collate the data and quantify how much federal funding could be in jeopardy. Ironically, the report’s first page states: OUR REPORT MADE POSSIBLE BY: The “Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006” Sponsors: Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) & Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) (Public Law 109-282, 109th Congress) USAspending.gov, was the resulting mandate of this bipartisan legislation. The publicly accessible searchable website enables taxpayers to see how their money is being spent. Former senator Tom Coburn is…
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Krikorian said a second Biden term would force illegal migrants to Nashville as the capacity of current sanctuary cities including Chicago, Denver, and New York City would be full.
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Former Metro Nashville Mayor Megan Barry confirmed on Wednesday night that she is “exploring” a campaign to secure the Democratic Party’s nomination for U.S. House, which could see her challenge Representative Mark Green (R-TN-07) in 2024.
Barry said she is considering launching a campaign in a statement to News Channel 5, in which she revealed she will “decide in the coming weeks.” Justifying a potential run, Barry claimed Green “deserves to be challenged” because of his pro-life positions on healthcare and support for the Second Amendment.
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Thursday morning on The Tennessee Star Report, host Leahy welcomed all-star panelist Clint Brewer in-studio to comment upon the recent shipment of illegal migrants to Martha’s Vinyard and sanctuary cities.
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Metro Nashville Council’s meeting agenda is highlighted by resolutions accepting a family planning grant and distributing more than $1,000,000 to local nonprofits.
Metro Council meets on Tuesday, March 15 at the Metro Courthouse at 6:30pm.
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Metro Nashville Council has published the March 1, 2022 meeting agenda and contains an ordinance that bans cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) using use of License Plate Scanner (LPR) technology.
The Metro Nashville Council legislative staff prepared agenda analysis, says that the proposed ordinance violates state law because it would create a sanctuary city policy, which is explicitly banned by state law.
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Monday morning on the Tennessee Star Report, host Michael Patrick Leahy welcomed Border Patrol Council President Brandon Judd to the newsmakers line to discuss the growing man-made crisis at the southern border.
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Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee signed a bill Wednesday that makes the state a Second Amendment sanctuary.
Senate Bill 1335 prevents any “law, treaty, executive order, rule, or regulation of the United States government” that violates the Tennessee Constitution or the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution from being enforced in the state.
That violation would have to be determined by either the Tennessee or U.S. Supreme Court. The stipulation was added during debate of the bill in the Tennessee House, and the Senate concurred.
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Tennessee is now one step closer to becoming a Second Amendment sanctuary after the state House of Representatives passed a resolution Monday strengthening legal protections of gun ownership.
Resolution HJR074, drafted in March, requires the state to “[extend] a safe harbor to Virginians and other United States citizens whose constitutional rights are being violated by elected officials.” It also affirms that citizens have a right to maintain arms equivalent “to those of their government’s basic infantry unit.”
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U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee Don Cochran this week praised U.S. Attorney General William Barr and the U.S. Justice Department for taking action against the nation’s sanctuary cities.
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On Friday’s Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 am to 8:00 am – Leahy talked to in-studio guest Carol Swain in the second hour about her vision for a watchdog organization That Would Oversee Financial Accountability of Nashville’s Metro and City Council.
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U.S. Rep. Dr. Mark Green (R-TN-07) led a debate on the House floor Wednesday night against sanctuary cities, introducing a motion to ensure that the stories of victims and their families are told.
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On Tuesday morning’s The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 am to 8:00 am – Leahy welcomed in-studio guest and good friend Norm Partin, ambassador to the Mayor-Elect Cooper administration. Leahy questioned the Mayor’s current stance on sanctuary city policy and recited the law as written. He explained that the Mayor-Elect has stated he would only honor judicial warrants which in Leahy’s view is a direct violation.
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Nashville Mayor David Briley loves that people have compared him to the likes of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and other far-left members of the Washington, D.C.-group known as, “The Squad.”
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State officials are challenging Metro Nashville Mayor David Briley’s sanctuary city policy, saying the decision could cause the city to lose a $300,000 federal grant to process ballistic evidence, NewsChannel 5 said.
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Metro At-Large Council candidate Steve Glover filed a lawsuit Monday that questions the legality of an executive order Nashville Mayor David Briley imposed last week that restricts Metro employees from cooperating with federal ICE agents.
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State Representative Jay Reedy (R-Erin), the House sponsor of HB2315, the 2018 legislation that prohibits state and local governmental entities and officials from adopting sanctuary policies, issued a statement Tuesday afternoon on behalf of legislators that addresses Nashville’s continued flouting of both state and federal laws. “Nashville is subject to the laws of the State of Tennessee and the United States of America, and the laws of both are clear: Sanctuary policies that shield illegal aliens are themselves illegal,” the statement said. “The law states clearly that local government entities that do not comply are potentially ‘ineligible to enter into any grant contract with the department of economic and community development,’ the statement continued. On Tuesday morning, Nashville Mayor David Briley, who by all accounts trails At-large Metro Council member John Cooper in the September 12 mayoral runoff election, stepped up the city’s flouting of state and federal laws when he issued an executive order that, among other things, calls on the Nashville Davidson County delegation of the Tennessee General Assembly to fight to repeal HB2315. Briley’s executive order, in effect, declares Metropolitan Nashville/Davidson County to be a sovereign state, with rights equal to or superior to those constitutionally authorized…
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