The Davidson County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) on Tuesday told The Tennessee Star that it submitted data to the Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference (TNDAGC), who in turn confirmed to The Star that it received data covering the month of October 2024 from DCSO after The Star first contacted the agency seeking information about which Tennessee law enforcement agencies had submitted data in compliance with a Tennessee state law.
“We provided a spreadsheet of data, as required by statute, to the TNDAGC of those booked into Davidson County jails,” said Jonathan Adams, the director of communications for DCSO.
Elizabeth Dixon, a spokesman for TNDAGC similarly told The Star, “I can confirm that after I sent you our original response on Saturday, January 4th, we received the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office’s October Immigration Report.”
The Star on Monday published its article revealing some Tennessee law enforcement is not fulfilling their mandate to report data to TNDAGC, who is legally required to complete a report accounting for the expense incurred to Tennessee taxpayers by illegal immigrants who are processed through the criminal justice system for the purpose of seeking reimbursement from the federal government for the results of President Joe Biden’s immigration policy.
Dixon told The Star DCSO submitted only its October data, though she previously told The Star that the nearby Williamson County Sheriff’s Office submitted data for the entire reporting period covering October through December of 2024.
The TNDAGC was not immediately able to clarify whether the data submitted by DCSO would be sufficient to determine the number cost of encounters with illegal immigrants incurred by MNPD.
Asked whether Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) records citizenship data of those arrested, spokesman Don Aaron told The Star the department records “a person’s Place of Birth based on the information the arrestee provides,” but when pressed specifically about citizenship, suggested DCSO is the law enforcement agency covering Nashville that is responsible for ascertaining citizenship.
The Star also contacted the office of Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell to determine what involvement the mayor has over immigration reporting policies, including whether data is provided to the federal government and TNDAGC.
Spokesman Alex Apple told The Star, “This is not something the Mayor’s Office would have involvement in.”
Despite a Tennessee law mandating law enforcement agencies report the citizenship data of individuals arrested in their jurisdiction to federal agencies including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), a Nashville web page claims immigration enforcement is solely the job of the federal government.
On a Nashville web page containing frequently asked questions for police, the city says, “MNPD does not make inquiry about immigration status in the course of routine duties,” except for when seeking an immigration visa to help the victim of a crime remain in the country.
“Considering that immigration status is irrelevant to police in carrying out our duties, there is no foreseeable impact to most of the interactions-enforcement activities, investigation of crimes, or providing services to victims,” the web page states.
While Apple told The Star the mayor’s office does not participate in decisions about reporting immigration status, he told The Nashville Banner in August that the state’s new requirement for law enforcement to report to ICE “is an unfunded mandate from the state that also comes with no training or enforcement.”
O’Connell’s spokesman also told the outlet that MNPD was “active” in its “outreach to immigrant communities … to maintain trust amidst the passage of this legislation.”
– – –
Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Pennsylvania Daily Star and The Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
If people reside in Davidson County that came into my Country, my State & my County illegally, need to be identified, & a list given to ICE. THEY COMMITED A CRIME WHEN THEY ENTER AMERICA ILLEGALLY. I don’t care what their circumstances were. They know the damn law.
WHERE ARE THE TREN DE ARAGUA GANG MEMBERS, Mayor Freddie? Are we at risk for a “LAKEN RILEY” tragedy in Nashville?
THEY SHOULD BE TURNED OVER TO ICE ON JAN 20. ROUND EM UP.
ALL ILLEGAL CRIMINALS EITHER IN JAIL, ON PROBATION, OUT ON BAIL SHOULD BE TURNED OVER TO ICE.
We know Mayor Freddie will block these efforts to get citizenship information from criminals, bc he could care less about the safety of our families, businesses or the rule of law.
Neither will DA Glenn FUNK or the Judges in the Court House Mafia.
The Chief of Police has no autonomy. His paycheck, health benefits, pension benefits depends on the Mayor.
Just to add another factor, the Police & Sheriff’s employees are allowed to live outside Davidson County. This means they don’t pay taxes to contribute to all their benefits. NOR CAN THEY VOTE FOR ANY ELECTED OFFICIALS IN METRO.
As a matter of fact, no Metro Government employees are required to reside in Davidson County. Those who do live here, pay taxes; those who don’t live here, get off scott free.
The rest of us are left with that bill to pay.
I hope SHERIFF DARREN HALL cooperates with ICE as they should. Unfortunately, his wife works in a high paid position in Metro Human Resources, which puts him in a quagmire, when it comes to what the Mayor wants him to do.
Could be a problem in his next election.