Tennessee State Representative Justin Jones (D-Nashville) said he was asked to leave Nashville International Airport (BNA) on Thursday ahead of a press conference scheduled to be held by U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem.
Thursday afternoon, Noem held a press conference at BNA to mark the opening of a special Transportation Security Administration (TSA) security lane designated exclusively for military members and their families and to highlight TSA’s “Serve with Honor, Travel with Ease” initiative.
Jones told reporters that while he allegedly received permission by BNA and the Secret Service to attend Noem’s event, the secretary’s staff reportedly asked the Democrat to leave ahead of the start of the press conference.
WATCH LIVE: Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem will highlight the opening of an Honor Lane — a special TSA security lane exclusively for military members and their families — at the Nashville International Airport. https://t.co/rpa3Jt6i03
— The Hill (@thehill) July 17, 2025
The state representative said he intended to question Noem about the May law enforcement operation conducted by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in conjunction with the Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) in Nashville that resulted in the arrests of 196 criminal illegal aliens.
Jones said when he first inquired about the illegal aliens arrested during the operation, state authorities told him to contact the federal government, to which he said Thursday, “This is the only opportunity we have to question the federal government.”
He went on to claim that “the majority” of those arrested by ICE during the joint operation “committed no crime,” despite DHS confirming that 95 of those who were arrested had prior criminal convictions and pending criminal charges while 31 of those arrested had reentered the U.S. illegally after previously being deported.
Among the aliens arrested during the May operation in Nashville included a 60-year old convicted rapist from Iraq, a 33-year old MS-13 gang member from El Salvador, drug traffickers from El Salvador and Haiti, and a 39-year old from Guatemala convicted of aggravated assault.
On Friday morning, Noem is scheduled to hold another press conference in Nashville to highlight the “worst of the worst” illegal aliens arrested by DHS in Tennessee so far under the administration of President Donald Trump.
– – –
Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Kaitlin on X / Twitter.
Image “State Rep. Justin Jones” by The Hill.
Jones has proven he is all about creatung conflict when speaking. He is a trouble making thug who is only interested in making himself a news story. Asking him to leave was surely the correct thing to do.
He cares not for those arrested nor the people of Nashville. He cares nothing about the rule of law. If anyone is deported and then re-enters our country illegally, they have committed a crime and I believe a felony. Jones is proving his interest is not in keeping law breaking illegal immigrants out of our country.
Speaking of committing crimes – yall should post Mr Jones’ arrest record …
( records can be revealed for public employees ?? right ? )
please remember he was born & raised in California
What positive thing has Justin Jones done during his tenure in the General Assembly.
He is a trained Protestor, trained by a program funded by the Clinton Foundation. This infant has never held a job in his life, who has never been married or fathered children. Just based on that alone, what can he possibly contribute to the betterment of his District, or the State of Tennessee?
He has nothing to offer. He was arrested during the George Floyd riots on Nashville. All he has to offer is negativity & chaos.
I’m glad he was banned from the Presser. This Nincompoop just dying to get on CNN, OR TIKTOK. He is a disgrace to Tennessee. But look how the Congressional Dems are behaving. Tgey have lost their collective minds. Their Communist plan to “TRANSFORM AMERICA ” failed miserably. They are lost souls.
Justina Jones should be on the domestic terrorist watch list.
Jones is ntiohing more than a media-seeking punk, like so many of his ilk. And what does that say abopout those who keep re-electing him?
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗨𝗙𝗙𝗢𝗢𝗡 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗯𝘆 𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗲. 𝗦𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝗮 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆.
Ah Justin….they did commit a crime by entering our country illegally. They violated the law. Perhaps he should self deport and live among people he seems to value more than law abiding Americans.