Members of the Metro Nashville Council on Wednesday condemned the joint immigration enforcement operation by Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which have reportedly resulted in more than 80 arrests, and suggested the city should develop protocols to offer illegal immigrants advanced warning of future operations.
The condemnation occurred in a Wednesday meeting of the Metro Public Health and Safety Committee, when Nashville Director of Law Wally Dietz (pictured above) explained that Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) had no advanced knowledge of the traffic stops and arrests made starting on May 3 until the following day.
Calling the immigration enforcement “heartbreaking and objectionable on so many levels,” Dietz confirmed his investigation began on Sunday, and that he determined the arrests “caught Metro by surprise.”
According to Dietz, an employee of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Federal Protective Service contacted the dispatch center for MNPD on May 1 to request additional patrols for an ICE facility on May 4 at 10 a.m. .
Following protocol, Dietz said the police dispatcher inserted the request into computer software which holds a series of messages to be distributed to MNPD at specific times. According to Dietz, the dispatcher was the only person aware of the request until the software sent the request to MNPD, at which time officers visited the facility to learn more about the request.
The clarification of how MNPD was informed of the ICE and THP activity led to Council Member at Large Zulfat Suara (pictured here) to condemn the city’s failure to flag the May 1 call as a request that should not be met by city police, or to warn illegal immigrants of the forthcoming action.
“The fact was somebody knew May 1,” said Suara. “Nobody mentioned May 1, until this afternoon, I believed nobody knew anything until the morning of, and that was a lie. That is how people do not trust the government.”
Suara added, “I always felt personally that we cannot on the federal government. We know the state government does not have our back. My hope has always been Metro government, and that government disappointed me today,” before urging Nashvilleto “do better” and “be intentional” about how it deals with federal agencies under the Trump administration.
She then asked Metro Emergency Communications Director Stephen Martini to confirm that new protocols would be created to flag such requests by federal officials in the future.
“Certainly, hindsight being 20/20, we are having a lot of conversations now with the mayor’s office, and with Legal, to determine what sort of notifications we can put in place,” said Martini.
He added that the department already created notifications for specific keywords.
U.S. Representative Andy Ogles (R-TN-05) appeared to condemn the idea during a recent appearance on Fox 17, adding in a post to the social media platform X that he would “use every tool” available to punish local officials for “harboring illegal aliens” in Nashville.
If I find out that local officials are harboring illegal aliens—people whose very first act on American soil was to break the law—I will use every tool at my disposal in Congress to investigate, expose, and punish them for aiding and abetting gangs, traffickers, and criminals.… pic.twitter.com/0kr42pw6NE
— Rep. Andy Ogles (@RepOgles) May 8, 2025
“If I find out that local officials are harboring illegal aliens—people whose very first act on American soil was to break the law—I will use every tool at my disposal in Congress to investigate, expose, and punish them for aiding and abetting gangs, traffickers, and criminals,” wrote Ogles.
“This is a betrayal of middle Tennesseans, and it will not go unanswered.”
Similarly, the Tennessee House Republican Caucus offered its support for the arrests on Tuesday, stating that such law enforcement operations will “demagnetize” Tennessee as a destination for illegal immigrants.
Watch the full Metro Council meeting:
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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].
Now’s the time for the state of Tennessee to take over Nashville. The council and the mayor have approved. They’re totally incompetent to be holding positions therein. Not only will the taxpayers be happy with no tax increase but also with possibly reducing taxes in Nashville and eliminating crime. Too much money is spent on needless projects and giving it away to Rich companies. They can’t be arrested and taken out of office soon enough. Please state legislature take over the save Nashville as soon as possible
Hello ICE and DOJ, please take our metro council if they get in your way, Freddie as well.
More proof that Metro Nashville government cares more about law breakers and gang bangers than it does hard working citizens!
Here’s a suggestion, even though it couldn’t be done — let them be deported along with the illegals they protect. But they do need to be arrested and barred from holding any public office, be on councils, boards, etc.
Donald King. How is sealing the borer NOW going to solve the already existing problem with likely over 20 million illegals already in MY country? ALL of them need to be deported and they can take their “anchor babies” with them. That includes the so-called dreamers who even Obama admitted were unconstitutionally protected from deportation.
Someone please share the Federal Immigration Law with the Metro Council. They seem to not understand that Federal Law supercedes Local Law. Those who interfere or harbor criminals will be held responsible.
The Metro Council has Term Limits, so they are Lame Ducks & more interested in serving the Mayor & protecting illegal aliens, than protecting the American taxpaying citizens.
The Nashville Citizens need to demand that a measure to reverse the Mandatory Term Limits
Law passed in the 90’s ( under mayor Bredesen), be placed on the next election ballot, so the voters get their power back. YOUR VOTE IS YOUR POWER.
sounds like a number of them need to be arrested
someone flag tom holman and the DOJ
Whomever is aiding and abetting the illegal alien community is interfering with ICE activities thus should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. These liberals just don’t get it. Your time is done; you have inflicted more than enough damage to this nation.
Nashville’s politicians have gone from being just liberal to totally insane
Members of Nashville City Council are on record saying “the city should develop protocols to offer illegal immigrants advanced warning of future operations.”
Okay, then. Given the democrat party oft-reported desire to implement “future crime prevention”, why not arrest each and all of them now? The evidence is clear, so the trials should be short and sweet; with imprisonment without parole – or execution for treason – to follow in short order.
Enforce the laws as they are written. Stop interpreting. If judges arae unable to read and comprehend, remove them from the bench. We do not need new law; all the democrat-sponsored crimes are already covered in existing code.
Enforce the existing laws. Our problems — civic, legislative, judicial, criminal — would soon be minimized.
I would love to see Nashville liberals arrested and perp walked by us Marshalls for violating federal laws regarding harboring illegal immigrants and interfering with law enforcement, maybe get themselves a few years in jail.
Just a little thought on the subject. Seal the borders and stop the illegals from even entering our nation and the whole issue becomes moot. No illegals – no conflicts.
One thing we know is the Metro Council will not need any shovels. They are burying the city quite well on their own. And we get to see this first-hand, in real time. The must be jealous of Canada, the U.K., France and Germany, who have all had similar results.
Keep it up, hopefully you will be arrested. THESE PEOPLE ARE IN OUR COUNTRY ILLEGALLY. What Nashville and its clueless useful idiots need is a sever taste of reality from DHS and ICE.
Just what we need. Lawbreaking traitors on the Nashville metro city council.