Nashville Preparing to Become Most Liberal Sanctuary City in the U.S.

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 continue a contractual arrangement with the U.S. Marshals Service that enables the Davidson County jail to detain illegal criminal aliens for ICE pick-up, the Mendes/Sledge bill would “require Metro to exercise its rights to terminate the contract, and negotiate new terms subject to Council approval.”

Mendes and Sledge object to cooperating with federal authorities working to deport criminal aliens and appear to have internalized Mayor Megan Barry’s mantra that Nashville is and should remain a “welcoming city” making the likely outcome that the Metro Council will decide not to renew any agreement that allows for complying with ICE detainers.

Even liberal New York City’s sanctuary policies include exceptions to the blanket rule of non-cooperation with federal immigration authorities. The NYC law includes 170 crimes that trigger cooperation with ICE detainers leading to deportation and more recently during budget hearings, Mayor De Blasio indicated he would be willing to add to that list of crimes:

But I would say anyone in good conscience who reads that list of 170 offenses, which is essentially any acts of violence, anything involving a weapon, anything involving terror, any major drug offenses — it’s quite comprehensive — understands the intent is to protect the safety of all New Yorkers.

After the murder of Kate Steinle by an illegal alien who had already been convicted of seven felonies and deported five times, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors “clarified” their sanctuary policy to allow the sheriff more discretion to cooperate with federal immigration authorities involving illegal aliens who commit certain felonies.

Mendes has downplayed the potentially devastating effect his bills will have on unsuspecting communities in Davidson County despite the fact that one of his bills will allow illegal aliens who commit all types of crimes, without exception, to be released back into the community instead of facing possible deportation by allowing cooperation with ICE.

“Operation Community Shield” is an ICE Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) operation that targets violent gang members and their associates by partnering with local, state and other federal law enforcement agencies. The most recent report from May 2017, netted over 1,300 nationwide arrests of violent gang members. Investigations conducted by the units including the HSI Nashville, over time Operation Community Shield has “effected more than 4,300 criminal arrests and nearly 3,000 civil immigration arrests of MS-13 leaders, members and associates.”

It is not clear if Mendes or Sledge have considered whether creating the most liberal non-deportation zone in the U.S.  will magnetize Davidson County for criminal illegal aliens.

If a majority vote is reached on second reading, either one or both of the Mendes/Sledge bills will be scheduled for a third and final reading and a final vote.