Metro Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell should face prosecution or a congressional probe over his recent decision to create the “Belonging Fund,” which the mayor called a joint project by Nashville and the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee (CFMT).
Announced on May 5 by O’Connell’s office, the “Belonging Fund” is designed to provide “financial resources to nonprofit emergency organizations offering emergency assistance” to illegal immigrants who “face sudden and destabilizing challenges,” in the wake of the joint immigration enforcement operation by Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Though a joint venture of Nashville and CFMT, the mayor’s office said it was seeded with more than $30,000 from three nonprofits, including the group tapped by the Biden administration to help release thousands of illegal immigrants into Tennessee.
U.S. Representative Andy Ogles (R-TN-05), whose district includes much of Nashville, first said that the mayor appears to be “interfering with ICE” operations during an appearance on Fox 17.
“So Freddie O’Connell, the mayor, if he wants to side with criminals, that’s his choice,” said Ogles. “I’m going to side with the people of Tennessee, and we’re going to uphold the law. I stand with Kristi Noem. I stand with our law enforcement. I stand with ICE, and we’re not going to back down.”
In a post to the social media platform X, which included an excerpt from the interview, Ogles suggested he would lead congressional action to rein in the mayor.
Mayor O’Connell is obstructing ICE and protecting criminals, including traffickers and a convicted child predator. That’s not leadership—it’s lawlessness.
If any Nashville agency undermines federal enforcement, I’ll use every tool in Congress to hold them accountable.
Tennessee… pic.twitter.com/NTB2i6Z28B
— Rep. Andy Ogles (@RepOgles) May 14, 2025
“Mayor O’Connell is obstructing ICE and protecting criminals, including traffickers and a convicted child predator. That’s not leadership—it’s lawlessness. If any Nashville agency undermines federal enforcement, I’ll use every tool in Congress to hold them accountable,” wrote Ogles.
Highlighting an interaction with U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem, who confirmed it is a crime to aid or abet illegal immigrants seeking to evade law enforcement, Ogles said he would formally request a congressional probe.
“I will be formally requesting that the Judiciary and Homeland Security Committees investigate Mayor Freddie O’Connell and Nashville city officials for their repeated obstruction of ICE operations,” said Ogles. “Stay tuned.”
🚨Is aiding and abetting illegal aliens to evade law enforcement a crime?
Sec. Noem: Yes.
I will be formally requesting that the Judiciary and Homeland Security Committees investigate Mayor Freddie O’Connell and Nashville city officials for their repeated obstruction of ICE… pic.twitter.com/vAmDC2XjIH
— Rep. Andy Ogles (@RepOgles) May 14, 2025
After O’Connell received criticism for the fund from DHS, which said Nashville “would rather protect illegal aliens than American citizens,” the Metro Council Immigrant Caucus released a statement which accused the federal agency of spreading “misinformation,” with the lawmakers noting, “The Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition, Conexion Americas, and Tennessee Justice for Our Neighbors committed more than $30,000 to help seed the new fund.”
Federal tax filings reveal the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition has received around $3 million in government grants over the last five years.
The joint law enforcement operation between ICE and THP resulted in 196 arrests of criminal illegal immigrants, DHS said on Tuesday.
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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].
Photo “Congressman Andy Ogles” by Congressman Andy Ogles. Photo “Freddie O’Connell” by Freddie O’Connell.Â
When people take an “OATH” to uphold the Constitution and then use their position in Government to violate the Constitution,
That is grounds for removing them from office.
AND TODAY “ALMOST” everybody on the payroll of Government, States and Federal, are finding fault with the Constitution and refusing to abide by it.
Neither Government, State or Federal, can be trusted to restore the respect the Constitution demands,
and “PATRIOTS” are so “few”I suspect the word will soon be removed from the dictionary.
I’m sure glad there’s a “Pre Trib Rapture” before the coming “Tribulations”.
What say you Ms Blackburn….Mr Hagerty? Pick a side please…..
What’s there to probe before arresting the guy? Arrest him for breaking the law and then do the probe to see how far reaching it is with all the other people and entities involved.
The Metro Council CANNOT reel in this Mayor bc they are TERM LIMITED & have NO POWER. They used to represent their Constituents before the term limits were installed. Now they do whatever the Mayor wants.
Same with Sheriff Darren Hall. He has a jail filled with illegal criminals. He used to cooperate with ICE, but now his wife works in the O’COMMIE ADMIN (6 figures) so now his hands are tied. Obey or wife out of a job.
All Illegal Aliens broke our Sovereign Law. That makes them all criminals. President Trump has given them a window of opportunity to self deport, which includes an opportunity one day to apply to legally be allowed to live in America. If they don’t take advantage of this, they will eventually be deported, & will never have an opportunity to return.
It’s just so odd that Obama deported hundreds of thousands without a peep out of the Left.
He put them in cages, he separated families.
But let the White President try to do the same, and they go batsh*t crazy. TDS is now readily a mental illness.
REMIND O’COMMIE THAT FEDERAL LAWS SUPERCEDES STATE & LOCAL LAWS. Tennessee has a law tgat bans any Sanctuary policies at local levels. State Law supercedes Local Laws.
We Nashville taxpayers want Ilkegals to be deported.
If there is a high turnout election next round, O’Connell and quite a few council members will be gone given this and pending property tax increases. People do not want to pay for this nonsense and criminality. Nashville voters are left-of-center and apathetic, but this may change both.
Yes, mayor heed what just happened in Wisconsin. A sitting judge was indicted; you know the story. In her hubris she thought she was above the law. She thought the law only applied to those on the opposite side of her bench. Hopefully she is prosecuted to the full extent of the law for this Federal crime. While I wish no ill-will on people, she threw away her career and most likely will serve time. The same can happen to you mayor. So, in the words of the philosopher Clint Eastwood, “Do you feel lucky punk”?
Tirrc, Freddy and several metro council members can be on that list for questioning.