Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton (R-Crossville) on Thursday called for Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell to rescind the executive order, which he recently modified, mandating Metro Nashville employees report all contacts with federal immigration officials to O’Connell and the Office of New Americans.
“I’m calling on Mayor O’Connell to rescind executive order 30,” wrote Sexton in a statement posted to X. “This order has jeopardized the safety of federal and state agents to the extent that individuals are harassing and interfering in the lawful duty of these agents.”
As a consequence of the executive order, names of U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) officials were posted publicly to a database maintained by Metro Nashville, drawing ire from U.S. Representative Andy Ogles (R-TN-05), who announced a congressional probe into the mayor earlier this week.
Metro Nashville removed the names, and O’Connell maintained they were published without malicious intent.
Sexton added, “While Metro has refused to assist federal agents with ICE; they decided to escalate it by forcing all employees to act as big brother. The time is now to rescind the big brother executive order and return to normal communications with state and federal authorities.”
— Speaker Cameron Sexton (@CSexton25) June 5, 2025
The speaker’s call for O’Connell to rescind his executive order came on the same day the Tennessee Fraternal Order of Police (TNFOP) condemned the mayor and Metro Nashville for allowing the names of federal law enforcement officers to be posted publicly, calling it unacceptable, even after the names had been removed.
“It appears Mayor Freddie O’Connell’s office does not care about the safety and security of the agents of the U. S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE),” wrote the FOP in a statement sent to The Tennessee Star. “While the information was ultimately removed, it should have never been released. The mayor, or one of his staff, has taken private information and made it public. This type of behavior is not acceptable.”
Noting such information is protected under TCA 10-7-504, TNFOP said the inclusion of federal immigration officials’ names demonstrates Nashville’s “bias against law enforcement officers,” and confirmed the fraternal order intends to refer the matter to Davidson County Attorney General Glenn Funk for criminal investigation.
“We are also contacting members of the legislature asking them to request the Tennessee Attorney General investigate this incident if allowed by Tennessee state law. The mayor and his office must be held accountable for their actions,” stated TNFOP, before calling for the staff member responsible for publishing the names to be fired.
TNFOP then suggested O’Connell should consider resignation over the matter.
“If the mayor authorized this information, he should take responsibility for this travesty and resign. Ultimately, this publication of information is the responsibility of Mayor O’Connell. He is the elected official that is responsible for his office and his staff,” stated the fraternal order. “Law enforcement officers, local, state, and federal, should not have to worry about the elected officials overstepping their reach and putting private information out to the public. Actions such as this demonstrate why men and women do not want to enter law enforcement in today’s society.”
Ogles confirmed this week that he and the U.S. House Judiciary and Homeland Security committees sent a letter requesting the production of documents and internal communications related to his actions in response to the May immigration enforcement operation that saw nearly 200 illegal immigrants detained. O’Connell stated he will respond to the probe.
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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 “Freddie O’Connell” by Freddie O’Connell.
find someone who loves you like democrats love criminals
A Sheriff has the Constitutional Authority to remove Freddy, cuff him and criminally charge him.
Also, might be time for all to stand up and shout, “Viva Christo Rey”.
How about pressuring him with some time behind bars.
Freddy shouldn’t resign, he should be removed from office.
Resign , that sounds good.