NASHVILLE, Tennessee — Metro Nashville Council At-Large candidate Gicola Lane told a crowd of more than 1,000 people Monday she wants city officials to stop working with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Members of the crowd gave thunderous applause.
Later in the evening, Nashville mayoral candidate Julia Clark-Johnson said she wants to turn Nashville into a sanctuary city.
“The state of California has been successful into changing a lot of their cities into sanctuary cities,” Clark-Johnson said, suggesting Nashville follow that state’s example.
Gicola and Clark-Johnson made these comments at Nashville’s Plaza Mariachi along Nolensville Pike this week for a forum devoted to immigrant rights
Several other At-Large and mayoral candidates joined them on stage.
The Tennessee Immigrant & Refugee Rights Coalition sponsored the event, as did the American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee, the American Muslim Advisory Council, and Conexion Americas.
The forum was in question-and-answer format, with members of those groups asking, among other things, what the Metro Nashville government can do to disentangle itself from ICE and stop future deportations.
At-Large candidate Bob Mendes, already on the Metro Council, said he will continue to do his part, especially with U.S. Republican President Donald Trump in office.
“After the presidential election, I helped write the legislation that would have kept the city from spending money on federal immigration enforcement,” Mendes said.
“We didn’t quite get to the finish line on that and, in fact, the state pre-empted us, but those are the issues we want to keep going with.”
Other At-Large candidates present included Fabian Berne, Gary Moore, Zulfat Suara, and current Metro Council member Burkley Allen.
Mayoral candidates on stage also included current At-Large Council member John Cooper, current Mayor David Briley, and State Rep. John Ray Clemmons, D-Nashville.
Clemmons said he thinks it’s a shame immigrant children in Nashville are too afraid to fill out forms at their schools to apply for and receive free and reduced lunches.
According to a brochure, TIRRC members use community organizing techniques to dismantle what they call “harsh immigration enforcement systems.”
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Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star. Follow Chris on Facebook. Email tips to [email protected].
California has had success???? Lololol. With What? Human crap, needles, homelessness all over the city side walks? Stupid is as stupid does I guess.
What a bunch of morons. this group is disgusting!
My vote is for Carol Swain!
Hurray for the People’s Democratic/Socialist Utopian Republic Of Nashville/Davidson County! The only problem is that the thugs bleed over into Sumner County doing crimes! We now need checkpoints on Vietnam Veterans Parkway and Gallatin Road!
Somebody best inform these people that Nashville and it’s people are not the only City/Town and people who live in this state.
I will have a say in who I want to live among us as much as anyone else in the “Whole state”.
These local candidates just echo the sentiment of every Obama and Clinton federal judicial nominee, most of whom were confirmed to the bench, many with Republican support in some cases unanimous support. When the “law” is guided by “diversity is our strength”, this is what happens. Much more dangerous at the judicial level than local political level. But both disgusting.
As stated above, these issues were declared illegal under the state constitution & these ”candidates” are trying to break the law. As a first generation American, my parents were legal & became American citizens, I oppose making Nashville a sanctuary city & we need to keep working with ICE.
Thank you Joe. I am opposed to Nashvle being a sanctuary city.
‘“The state of California has been successful into changing a lot of their cities into sanctuary cities,” Clark-Johnson said, suggesting Nashville follow that state’s example.’
I guess she doesn’t read or watch the news. The successful changes of California sanctuary cities are increased drug problems, crime due to gangs, homeless and sanitation problems, even typhus is back. All these leftists want is to break the law for their own political benefit. Disgusting.
So, we have yet another instance where people who have taken an oath to uphold the law and serve the CITIZENS of our country have, instead, declared they will intentionally break the law (and their oath) to aid and abet the criminal aliens among us.
Was this just for Democrats ?
These idiots make me ashamed to be from Tennessee. This bunch is promoting lawless illegals in the state.
this is going on pretty much in every state. it is highly organized and highly funded., and a lot of politicians are getting rich in the process. colorado was sold out long ago, and we are being ruined by ILLEGAL actions of our “elected” officials. (quotes because our gov and god knows who else BOUGHT their positions. check out Rocky Mountain Heist on youtube, and then realized this is WIDESPREAD, not a one-state deal.)
every state is targeted in this kind of takeover.
These candidates are clueless in regards to following laws. I highly suspect that they only want these lawless illegals for a headcount to receive more funding and to elect more democrat legislators.
Carol Swain has my Vote !!
I agree.
see my other comment. they are NOT clueless, it is highly orchestrated and funded. EVERY state is in the crosshairs of this corruption, with many totally sold out by their politicians. colorado is under siege right now.
Good luck idiots!
I thought we heard this proposed by Megan Berry. As I recall it was declared to be illegal under current Tennessee law ?
Why oh why would ANYONE want to defy the law for something like letting these people in breaking the law if it is not for votes. They should be ashamed
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ and the promise of power.
NOTHING to do with humanitarianism. NOTHING AT ALL.
The lawless Left rear their ugly heads once again.
You are so correct and it is disgusting to see mayoral candidates outright claim their lawlessness.
:put a bunch of Democrat candidates in front of an audience of illegals in Davidson County and they show their true colors
Aw Caldwell, I guess you should have told ICE where they all were that night! You’re complicit
God creates the nations and their borders. These misguided people should read Proverbs 14:12.
I doubt most read the Bible.
eric, they apparently don’t read/understand/obey their own laws, so………………