Tag: Sanctuary city

Anti-Sanctuary City Legislators Hold Their Ground in Committee to Move Strong Bill Toward Full House for Vote

Chris Alto
State Rep Jay Reedy

After an hour of debate rehashing Rep. Jay Reedy’s anti-sanctuary city bill, including more testimony in opposition from the TN Immigrant & Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC) and procedural moves by Democrat Jason Powell to “gut” the bill, 6 of the 7 Republican members of the House State Government Committee voted “yes,” sending HB2315 toward a vote by the full House. The Committee’s three Democrats voted no and Chairman Bob Ramsey, a Republican, passed. Rep. Jason Powell (D-Nashville), offered an amendment which TIRRC’s lawyer explained to committee members. Thorough questioning by Reps. Bud Hulsey and William Lamberth, however, revealed that the amendment was intended to neuter key parts of the bill. Anti-sanctuary city Reps. Daniel, Hulsey, Lamberth, Littleton and Rudd, held their ground to vote down Powell’s amendment; all five are named co-sponsors of the bill. Chairman Bob Ramsey voted “yes” with the Democrats and Republican Bill Sanderson passed. Sanderson then offered his own amendment that would have weakened the strong state policy Reedy’s bill would establish to combat shielding illegal aliens who have committed crimes unrelated to their immigration status, from possible deportation. The same five anti-sanctuary city legislators again held their ground and voted against Sanderson’s amendment. This time,…

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State Senator Mark Green Bringing Strong Anti-Sanctuary City Bill To a Floor Vote on Wednesday

Chris Alto

On Wednesday, April 11th, the Tennessee State Senate will consider updating and closing loopholes in the state’s law prohibiting sanctuary cities. Sponsored by Sen. Mark Green, SB2332 will make it harder to shield criminal illegal aliens in Tennessee. In June 2017, the Metro Nashville Council was working to pass an ordinance that would have made Nashville the most liberal sanctuary city in the country. The ordinance, drafted with help from the TN Immigrant & Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC), proposed instituting a practice of “don’t ask so you don’t have to know or tell” which would prohibit Davidson County and Nashville employees, including law enforcement, from providing pertinent information to ICE regarding criminal aliens. Metro Councilman Colby Sledge, one of the two chief co-sponsors of the ordinance is married to the co-Director of TIRRC. The proposed ordinance was withdrawn, however, due to overwhelming grassroots opposition and pressure from state legislators, but a 2017 report released by Openthebooks.com still lists Nashville as a sanctuary city. Tennessee’s current anti-sanctuary city law passed in 2009, only prohibits written policies that obstruct cooperation with federal immigration authorities. It’s not clear whether this narrower definition of “sanctuary city” would have applied to the proposed Metro ordinance. Other states like Georgia…

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California’s Orange County Continues Trend of Bucking Sanctuary Policies

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California’s Orange County is preparing to follow in the city of Los Alamitos’ footsteps by defying the state’s sanctuary policies and supporting the Trump administration’s emphasis on immigration enforcement. Los Alamitos, located in Orange County, angered illegal immigrant activists when its city council voted last week to exempt itself from the state’s sanctuary policies that went into effect January 1 under SB-54.

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Vast Majority of Tennessee House Republicans – 58 Out of 74 – Are Co-Sponsors of Anti-Sanctuary City Bill

Chris Alto
Jay Reedy

Fifty-eight Tennessee House Republicans are named co-sponsors on the anti-sanctuary city bill HB2315. Adding the bill’s chief sponsor, State Rep. Jay Reedy (R-Erin), means that 80 percent of the House Republicans support strengthening and closing the loopholes in Tennessee’s existing anti-sanctuary city statute. (Seventy-four of the 99 members of the Tennessee House of Representatives this session are Republicans, while 25 are Democrats.) Tennessee’s anti-sanctuary city law passed in 2009, only addresses written policies that prohibit local governments, officials and employees from cooperating with federal immigration authorities. This narrower definition of “sanctuary city” would likely not have applied to at least one of the sanctuary city ordinances proposed by the Metro Nashville Council last June. The two ordinances proposed by the Metro Nashville Council would have made Nashville the most liberal sanctuary city in the country. One of the bills included a “don’t ask so you don’t have to know or tell” practice prohibiting Davidson County and Nashville employees, including law enforcement, from providing pertinent information to ICE regarding criminal aliens. Reedy’s bill expands the definition of sanctuary city to include practices that obstruct cooperation with federal immigration authorities and help shield illegal aliens who have also committed crimes. North Carolina and Georgia…

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Bill Making It A Felony For Local Elected Officials To Vote In Conflict With State Or Federal Laws On Immigration May Die In Summer Study

Laura Baigert

NASHVILLE, Tennessee — After hearing the presentation and debate on a bill that would make it a felony for local officials to vote in conflict with state or federal laws on immigration or historical memorials, the House Criminal Justice Committee voted to send the bill to where many go to die — summer study, especially during an election year. The sponsor of the bill, State Rep. Dawn White (R-Murfreesboro), told The Tennessee Star following a voice vote, “They just voted for sanctuary cities.” White’s bill, sponsored by State Senator Mark Pody (R-Lebanon) in the Senate, would make it a Class E felony for a local official to knowingly vote for an ordinance or resolution that is in direct conflict with state or federal laws relative to immigration, such as sanctuary cities, or historic monuments. As previously reported by The Star, the crime would be punishable only by a fine, any elected official convicted of a felony is subject to the removal from office. The bill passed the House Criminal Justice Subcommittee the week prior, and then headed to the full Committee where there was debate for more than 30 minutes, primarily coming from State Rep. Antonio Parkinson (D-Memphis) toward the…

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Bill To Be Heard In House Subcommittee Tuesday Would Make It A Felony For Local Elected Officials To Vote In Conflict With State Or Federal Laws On Immigration Or Historical Memorials

Laura Baigert

A bill scheduled to be heard in the House Criminal Justice Subcommittee Tuesday would make it a felony for a member of a local governmental body to vote in conflict with state or federal laws on immigration or historical memorials. House Bill 2552 sponsored by Representative Dawn White (R-Murfreesboro) creates a Class E felony when an ordinance or resolution that expressly conflicts with state or federal law relative to immigration or historical memorials is knowingly voted on by a member of a city or county legislative body. The crime would be punishable by fine only. However, as with all felony convictions by a public official, the violator would be subject to removal from office. If passed, this bill would directly combat the issue of rogue local governments that seek to create sanctuary cities or removing historical monuments as has been seen in the cities of Nashville and Memphis over the past year. Regarding the bill, Rep. White told The Tennessee Star, “The simple fact is, in America, no one should be able to openly disregard our laws without consequences.”   Elaborating on recent events within the state of Tennessee, Rep. White continued, If a local official violates our laws against…

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Todd Rokita Pushes Bill to Imprison Those Who Do Not Enforce Federal Immigration Law

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Rep. Todd Rokita said Tuesday that his bill could put elected officials in prison for failing to enforce federal immigration law. “If they’re going to act like criminals themselves, if they’re going to put the interests of these illegal immigrant criminals above the safety of their own citizens, then we ought to lock them up,” Mr. Rokita, Indiana Republican, said on Fox News.

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Former State Rep. Joe Carr Reacts to the Kate Steinle Verdict

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Former State Rep. Joe Carr (R-Lascassas), who mounted a grassroots conservative challenge to Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN) in the 2014 Republican U.S. Senate primary and is now seeking to replace recently resigned State Senator Jim Tracy (R-Shelbyville) in a special election,  issued a reaction to the acquittal of Jose Zarate, the five-time deported illegal alien who killed Kate Steinle on a pier in San Francisco: “After illegal immigrant, Jose Zarate was found “not guilty” of murdering Kate Steinle by a California court recently, I, like most Americans have a mix of emotions about the verdict in this case. On one hand, I am heartbroken for the Steinle family and how the justice system has completely failed them. She deserved better. We ALL deserve more from a judicial system that seems incapable of actually dispensing justice in high profile cases where political correctness appears to trump the rule of law. But I am also outraged that a person who was deported five times was given sanctuary anywhere in this country, which enabled him to take the life of a completely innocent victim. Federal prosecutors may still find a way to hold Jose Ines Garcia Zarate accountable for his actions; but it is up to…

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OFF THE RECORD: ‘The Ballad of La Raza Randy’ Sorta Has That ‘Special’ Ring to It

Chris Alto

  A clever and obviously talented follower of FACTS that have been reported about gubernatorial candidate Randy Boyd, penned this little ditty which arrived via The Tennessee Star tip line. After reading The Ballad of La Raza Randy, it’s only natural to wonder if and when the ode to “Mayor Moonbeam Megan Barry” will show up. In the meantime, see if you can make it all the way through to the end without having to wipe the tears rolling down your cheeks from laughing too hard… The Ballad of La Raza Randy Randy Boyd’s running all over the state, says he’ll spend whatever it takes. Money’s no object for this Governor who-would-be and his plan of “greater opportunity”. Greater opportunity for all citizens (or not), he’s the best friend illegals have got! He talks of education and jobs galore, all from a supporter of common core. Nothing we haven’t heard before, typical RINO campaign de jour. He’s Haslam 2.0, of that you can be sure! But Randy has a new name and it’s getting around! It’s sure to follow him from town to town! La Raza Randy is his new name , La Raza Randy, aren’t you ashamed? What is La Raza and for…

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Nashville Mayor ‘Moonbeam’ Megan Barry 2019 Re-Election Bid Could Be Influenced by Sanctuary City Issue, Poll Shows

Tennessee Star Staff
Tennessee Star

The sanctuary city issue could influence the outcome of the 2019 re-election bid of California-born Nashville Mayor “Moonbeam” Megan Barry, a new Tennessee Star Poll shows. When asked “In the next local Nashville/Davidson County election, are you more likely or less likely to vote for a mayoral candidate who supports Nashville becoming a sanctuary city,” 41.3 percent of likely Nashville/Davidson County voters said they were much less likely, while only 25.6 percent said they were much more likely. Intensity of feeling on this issue is with the opponents of sanctuary city proposals. Overall, 47.4 percent of likely Nashville/Davidson County voters were less likely to support a mayoral candidate who supports Nashville becoming a sanctuary city, while 43.6 percent were more likely: 25.6% Much more likely 18.0% Somewhat more likely 6.1% Somewhat less likely 41.3% Much less likely 9.0% Not sure/don’t know “Two major points leap out at me from this particular poll result,” media consultant and political analyst Steve Gill tells The Tennessee Star. “First, while 43.6% of the likely voters responding are somewhat more or much more likely to support a mayoral candidate who supported Sanctuary City status for Nashville, 47.4% were somewhat less likely or much less likely…

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POLL: Nashville Voters Evenly Split Over Withdrawn Sanctuary City Ordinance

Tennessee Star Staff
Tennessee Star

A new Tennessee Star Poll shows likely Nashville voters are evenly split over the “sanctuary city” proposal recently withdrawn by Metro Council members Bob Mendes and Colby Sledge. The poll of 533 likely Nashville voters was conducted within hours of Mendes’ announcement last week that he and Sledge were permanently withdrawing a controversial “sanctuary city” ordinance from a vote on third reading by the Metro Nashville Council scheduled for July 6, as well as a related ordinance scheduled for an August vote. When asked, “Metro Nashville Council was scheduled to vote on a proposal next week that would, in effect, turn Nashville into a sanctuary city where illegal immigrants are protected from arrest and deportation. Do you support or oppose the proposal for Nashville to become a sanctuary city?,” 49.4 percent supported, while 47.1 percent opposed, a statistical tie since the 2.3 percent differential is within the poll’s 4.2 percent margin of error: 31.9% Strongly support 17.5% Somewhat support 8.6% Somewhat oppose 38.5% Strongly oppose 3.4% Not sure/don’t know The poll results directly contradict Mendes’ claim made last week when he withdrew the controversial sanctuary city ordinances that “Inside the county, the support has been overwhelming for these bills.” Of particular…

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President Trump Meets with Victims of Crimes by Illegal Immigrants on the Eve of ‘Kate’s Law,’ ‘No Sanctuary for Criminals Act’ Votes

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Tennessee Star

  President Trump met with several immigration crime victims Wednesday, on the eve of two major floor votes for bills designed to strengthen punishments for criminal illegal immigrants. “Thank you very much for being here to discuss two crucial votes taking place in Congress tomorrow on vital safety and national security legislation,” President Trump said. “We’re joined by the Chairman of the House Judiciary, Bob Goodlatte, a friend of mine for a long time,” President Trump said.  “Bob is one of the most skilled legislators in Congress, and he’s worked with law enforcement to write a series of critical immigration bills that will close the dangerous loopholes exploited by criminals, gang members, drug dealers, killers, terrorists. ” The first of the two votes is for ‘Kate’s Law’ (HR 3004), named for the tragic murder of Kate Steinle in San Francisco. The prime suspect, Juan Francisco Lopez-Sanchez had been deported five times before with seven felony convictions. If passed, ‘Kate’s Law’ will increase the penalties that may be imposed on criminal aliens convicted of illegal reentry. The second vote is for the ‘No Sanctuary for Criminals Act’ (HR 3004) which is designed to cut off funding for cities and localities that violate federal immigration law in order…

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Lead Sponsors Withdraw Metro Nashville Council ‘Sanctuary City’ Bills

Tennessee Star Staff

Metro Nashville Council members Bob Mendes and Colby Sledge announced at a press conference held Wednesday afternoon on the steps of the Nashville Courthouse they are withdrawing the two controversial “sanctuary city” ordinances they introduced as sponsors earlier this year. Standing in front of about a dozen supporters of the ordinances from the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugees Rights Coaliton (TIRCC), some carrying signs that said “Stand Up to Hate,” Mendes said he and Sledge were withdrawing both ordinances. One ordinance had already passed two of its required three readings and was scheduled for a vote on a third and final reading at the next Metro Council meeting scheduled for July 6. Mendes told the local media outlets present at the press conference that the ordinance could not be amended prior to the third reading, and therefore would be withdrawn. The second ordinance scheduled for a vote in August will also be withdrawn. The need for an amendment became apparent when Metro Director of Law Jon Cooper issued a legal opinion on Monday saying the ordinances were “not enforceable,” and Mayor Barry on Tuesday asked the Metro Council to “reconsider” the ordinances. Mendes did not indicate whether he and Sledge would…

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Randy Boyd: ‘If I’m Elected Governor, I Will Work to Make Sure There Are No Sanctuary Cities in Tennessee’

Tennessee Star Staff
Tennessee Star

Gubernatorial candidate Randy Boyd posted on his campaign’s Facebook page late Tuesday evening that he is opposed to sanctuary cities, and urged residents of Davidson County to tell their Metro Council members to oppose the proposed sanctuary city ordinace. “Sanctuary Cities are illegal,” Boyd’s post began. “Washington has made a complete mess of our immigration system. But here in Tennessee, we will follow the law and must say NO to illegal immigration and Sanctuary Cities,” Boyd said. “I encourage everyone in Metro Nashville/Davidson County to quickly contact their Metro Council members and encourage them to strongly oppose these Metro ordinances that would ignore the law. If I’m elected Governor, I will work to make sure there are no Sanctuary Cities in Tennessee on my watch, ” Boyd concluded. Later on Tuesday evening, Boyd released a slightly longer version of his Facebook post as a statement on his campaign website, which included an extra sentence in which he “commend[ed] our state’s legislative leaders for speaking out.”: Nashville, Tenn. – Randy Boyd, Republican candidate for Governor, released the following statement today regarding proposed Metro Council ordinances and current Sanctuary City debate in Nashville: “Sanctuary Cities are illegal. Washington has made a complete…

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Challenger Jeremy Hayes Calls Out State Rep. Susan Lynn’s Failure to Oppose Nashville’s ‘Sanctuary City’ Ordinance

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Tennessee Star

  The Tennessee Star reported Monday that fully 63 of the 99 State Representatives signed a letter opposing the Metro Nashville Council’s ordinance proposal, BL2017-739, to make Music City a criminal-friendly ‘sanctuary city.’ One of the names missing from the letter was Representative Susan Lynn, and challenger Jeremy Hayes noticed. “I am extremely disheartened, but not surprised that my opponent did not feel the need to sign the letter, with the sixty-three other representatives, informing the Metro Council this bill will not be accepted. Bills like this are illegal, thanks to laws that Joe Carr sponsored, and even metro council’s attorney, John Cooper, has said that the bill cannot be enforced” said Hayes in a statement. He added: This is the reason I am running for office, because my opponent has sold out to special interest groups, and no longer cares about representing our district, even when our families are at risk. I am sure that once she see’s not speaking out against the “Sanctuary City” bill is politically damaging she will be motivated to act, but we need leadership in our district, not someone who has to judge the political tides before they say something. When elected I will fight…

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Metro Nashville’s Own Lawyer Says Proposed Sanctuary City Ordinance ‘Not Enforceable’

Tennessee Star Staff

Metro Nashville’s “Director of Law Jon Cooper has found that Davidson County Sheriff Daron Hall would not be bound by the council’s ordinance prohibiting him from cooperating with federal authorities on immigration,” Nick Beres reported early Tuesday morning at NewsChannel 5: An opinion from Metro’s legal director has found that the proposed immigration ordinance in Nashville is not enforceable. . . Metro’s Director of Law Jon Cooper has found that Davidson County Sheriff Daron Hall would not be bound by the council’s ordinance prohibiting him from cooperating with federal authorities on immigration. Not only that, Cooper found that the ordinance would not be enforceable because it violates the Metro Charter. “Sheriff Hall has said all along he would not honor the ordinance because it’s a public safety issue,” NewsChannel 5 reported:   “To ask me to ignore everything with immigration is to let that person go who is a serious criminal local violator or federal immigration violator,” Hall said. Hall also said he didn’t believe the council had the authority to tell him how to do his job, and the city attorney agreed. This legal opinion from the city’s own attorney could kill or possibly delay the final vote on…

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Gubernatorial Candidate Bill Lee: ‘Creating a Sanctuary City in Nashville Puts Our Entire State At Risk’

Tennessee Star Staff

Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill Lee released a statement Monday evening offering “Comments on Tennessee House Member’s Statement on Nashville City Council Sanctuary City Proposal.” On Monday afternoon, the office of State Rep. Judd Matheny (R-Tullahoma) released a statement prepared by Matheny, State Rep. Bryan Terry (R-Murfreesoboro) and State Rep. Sheila Butt (R-Columbia) and signed by 63 Republican members of the Tennessee House of Representatives imploring members of the Metro Nashville City Council to reject a proposed sanctuary city ordinance. “I am 100% opposed to ‘sanctuary cities.’ Creating a ‘sanctuary city’ in Nashville puts our entire state at risk and as Governor, I would use every tool at my disposal to halt the adoption of these types of policies,” Lee said in the statement. “We are a welcoming and compassionate state. Tennesseans want to ensure those who come here do so legally and safely. A ‘sanctuary city’ policy ensures the opposite,” Lee concluded in his statement.

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63 Members of Tennessee House of Representatives Object to Passage of Nashville’s Proposed Sanctuary City Ordinance

Tennessee Star Staff
Tennessee Star

  Sixty-three members of the 99 member Tennessee House of Representatives, all Republicans, released a statement opposing the passage of a proposed sanctuary city ordinance by Metro Nashville Council. “With the Second Reading of the Ordinances filed by Metro Councilmen Bob Mendes and Colby Sledge having passed and a vote pending from the Metro Council, we are compelled to make public the intent and purposes of this Ordinance and to make it known that as Representatives of the State of Tennessee, we soundly object to their passage. Tennessee is currently being represented by the Thomas More Law Center in a lawsuit questioning the ongoing practice of settling refugees in Tennessee through various non-governmental organizations without the proper vetting, channels or protocol being followed,” State Rep. Judd Matheny (R-Tullahoma), State Rep. Bryan Terry (R-Murfreesboro), and State Rep. Sheila Butt (R-Columbia) said in a statement released on Monday from Matheny’s office: The Ordinances would formally put policies in place that would officially make Nashville a Sanctuary City. In essence, the Ordinances would: 1) Prohibit Metro Nashville employees from inquiring into anyone’s immigration status, effectively enabling illegal aliens to access public benefits they would otherwise be barred from using. This practice is not…

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Gubernatorial Candidate Randy Boyd Donated $250,000 to La Raza Affiliate And Has Not Renounced Nashville Sanctuary City Ordinance

Chris Alto

  Almost immediately after the Metro Nashville Council voted on second reading to pass a sanctuary city ordinance last week, Congressman Diane Black (R-TN-06), State Rep. Judd Matheny (R-Tullahoma) and gubernatorial candidates, Mae Beavers and Bill Lee, issued strong rebukes to the city’s move to violate federal and state law. The Randy Boyd campaign, despite being asked directly by The Tennessee Star for a comment regarding the proposed Nashville ordinance, did not respond. In a state where The Tennessee Star’s polling results showed that 1,007 likely Republican primary voters rejected in-state college tuition for illegal aliens by a stunning 84 percent to 11 percent margin and where 1.5 million voters helped elect President Trump, Boyd’s silence on a key immigration issue, could prove costly to his campaign. Three days after announcing his candidacy for governor on March 6, 2017, The Star reported on Boyd’s $250,000 donation in 2016 to Conexion Americas, an affiliate partner of the National Council of La Raza (NC La Raza). Renata Soto, co- founder and executive director of Conexion Americas served for three years as vice-president of the NC La Raza Board and was elected to lead the NC La Raza board in 2015, the year before Boyd made his donation. Days later The Star asked Boyd whether he knew…

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Grassroots Opposition to Nashville Sanctuary City Ordinance Grows

Tennessee Star Staff
Tennessee Star

NASHVILLE, Tennessee–An overflow crowd of about 200 met at John A’s restaurant on Music Valley Drive in Nashville on Saturday morning at 9 a.m. and heard from opponents of the proposed Metro Nashville Council sanctuary city ordinance, who outlined the actions they can join to defeat the proposal at its third reading on July 6. As The Tennessee Star reported last week, “[t]wo 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.” 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…

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State Rep. Judd Matheny Pledges ‘To Orchestrate a Massive Response to Davidson County’s Attempt at Embracing Sanctuary City Status’

Tennessee Star Staff

State Rep. Judd Matheny (R-Tullahoma) gave it to the Metropolitan Davidson County/Nashville Government with both barrels in a brief speech he delivered at the Cannon County Republican Party Reagan Day Dinner in Woodbury on Friday night. “I pledge, along with my colleagues in the House, to orchestrate a massive response to Davidson County’s attempt at embracing sanctuary city status,” Matheny told the crowd. Matheny then spelled out exactly how opponents of the Metro Nashville Council’s proposed sanctuary city ordinance in the Tennessee General Assembly will respond. “They come to us every year for a lot of money, for professional sports teams, mass transit, tourism, business development and other initiatives they ask the state to support,” Matheny said. “If the council won’t yield to the pressure they will face prior to the July 6 third reading of the proposed ordinance, then my colleagues and I will do everything in our power to deprive Metro Nashville of funds,” he vowed. “On July 7, there will be all out political war after July 6,” Matheny said. The crowd, estimated to number about 125, appeared to be unanimously in agreement with Matheny’s sentiments. In addition to Matheny, State Senator Mae Beavers (R-Mt. Juliet) and…

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Speaker Harwell and Speaker Pro Tempore Tracy Request AG Opinion on Metro’s Sanctuary City Ordinance

Laura Baigert

  House Speaker Beth Harwell (R-Nashville) and Senate Speaker Pro Tempore Jim Tracy (R-Shelbyville) issued a press release Friday morning that included a letter over their names to the State Attorney General (AG) requesting an opinion on Metro Nashville Council’s recently proposed sanctuary city ordinance, which passed a second of three required readings on Tuesday in a 25 to 8 vote. Accompanying the letter to the AG was a statement from Speaker Harwell: Our local, state, and federal enforcement officials must be able to work together to keep our families and communities safe.  The Tennessee General Assembly overwhelmingly passed a ban on sanctuary cities in 2009, and this ordinance demonstrates a reckless disregard for state and federal law.  Speaker Pro Tempore Tracy and I are seeking clarity from the Attorney General so we can determine how best to proceed.  This is not only public safety issue for Nashville, but for our whole state. – Speaker Beth Harwell Harwell’s statement included a link to the 2009 legislation. The letter, on official 110th General Assembly letter head, dated June 23, 2017, and addressed to The Honorable Herbert H. Slatery, III, Attorney General and Reported, signed by Senator Jim Tracy, Speaker Pro Tempore and…

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Partnership for a New American Economy Promotes Legal and Illegal Immigration in Nashville

Chris Alto

  The Partnership for a New American Economy (PNAE) whose named members include gubernatorial candidates Randy Boyd and Karl Dean, awarded twenty cities “Gateways for Growth” (G4G) grants designed to “integrate immigrants as part of an economic growth strategy.” Openthebooks.com’s report Federal Funding of America’s Sanctuary Cities identifies half of the G4G grant recipients as sanctuary cities, including Nashville. The Tennessee Star asked the Randy Boyd campaign specifically for a comment on the Metro Nashville ordinance that would make Nashville a sanctuary city but has received no response. PNAE’s “15 key economic issues of immigration reform in America” include: Supporting legal status for the 11.4 million undocumented immigrants. In a 2014 Wall Street Journal oped, PNAE co-founder Rupert Murdoch said that illegal immigrants who are already here should be provided a path to citizenship. Supporting resettlement of refugees who PNAE says that after living in the U.S. between 16-25 years are earning well above the income of refugees who have been here for five years or less. Moreover, PNAE believes refugees are the answer to reviving aging and declining communities. Pushing state and local policymakers to support in-state college tuition for illegal immigrant students. The PNAE, now shortened to “New American Economy,” is a powerful and well-funded…

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The Tennessee Star Announces Blockbuster Month with Over a Half-Million Visits

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Tennessee Star

  FRANKLIN, TENNESSEE (Wednesday, June 21) — In another stunning announcement, The Tennessee Star released updated web traffic reports in a tweet Wednesday that shows the online news, information, and opinion website surpassed 500,000 visits in the last thirty days. WOW! Thank you, Tennessee!!30days (5/20-6/20): 526,841 visits 290,288 visitorsAll time (2/06-6/20): 1,536,671 visits 712,233 visitors pic.twitter.com/HBxgV2CKnf — Tennessee Star (@TheTNStar) June 22, 2017 “In three months and two weeks we went from zero at our launch to over one million visits. Now, in just the last thirty days – a quarter of that time – we have been visited more than five hundred and twenty-five thousand times,” said managing editor Christina Botteri. “If there was a Moore’s Law for journalism and readership, we’d be doubling it right now!” Botteri said, referencing Intel founder Gordan Moore’s observation that computer processing speed doubles every 18 months. The explosion in traffic can be traced directly to The Star’s coverage of the top three areas of most concern for Middle Tennesseans, as reported in the Tennessee Star-Triton Poll released ten days ago, together with a fundamental understanding of the algorithms that drive social media traffic. “The poll results reflect what we observe personally, which is that there…

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Joe Carr Commentary: Nashville Sanctuary City Plan Isn’t Just Wrong. It’s Illegal.

Tennessee Star Staff
Tennessee Star

  Commentary by Joe Carr A plan to make Davidson County a “sanctuary city” for illegal immigrants passed earlier this week on second reading and is headed to a final vote in the Metro Council next month. Citizens in Nashville, and in the surrounding area who will be affected if the city becomes an even bigger magnet for illegal aliens, have valid concerns about the plan. Any public policy that embraces and endorses illegal activity of any kind is clearly wrong. The plan promoted by Mayor Megan Berry is not just bad policy, it is ILLEGAL policy under Tennessee law AND Federal law. In 2009 as a member of the Tennessee House of Representatives, I wrote, sponsored and passed one of the nation’s first, if not THE first, “No Sanctuary City Law.” The law was in response to various California municipalities passing ordinances requiring their law enforcement officials not to comply with the 1996 Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigration Responsibility Act (the IIRIR). That federal law included section 8 U.S.C. 1373, which provided that no state or local entity can in any way restrict its law-enforcement officials from communicating with federal immigration authorities regarding an individual’s citizenship or immigration status.…

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Nashville’s ‘Sanctuary’ Ordinance Forces Local Law Enforcement to Violate Federal and State Law

Chris Alto
Tennessee Star

The Mendes/Sledge Ordinance BL2017-739  that passed on second reading by twenty-five Metro Nashville Council members on Tuesday will, if passed on a final vote, force Davidson County and Nashville law enforcement personnel to violate federal and state laws. The sponsors’ other bill, BL2017-743 seeking to terminate a 1996 contract that reimburses the Davidson County jail when it detains criminal aliens for ICE pick-up, has been deferred to the Council’s August 1, 2017 meeting. Both bills are in line with Nashville Mayor Megan Barry’s left-wing open borders, pro-illegal immigrant political philosophy. BL2017-739 expressly prohibits the “use of any funds, resources or facilities” to assist ICE and also prohibits Davidson County and Nashville employees, including law enforcement, from providing pertinent information to ICE regarding criminal aliens. Federal law, however, specifically addresses these information exchanges: a Federal, State, or local government entity or official may not prohibit, or in any way restrict, any government entity or official from sending to, or receiving from, [federal immigration authorities] information regarding the citizenship or immigration status, lawful or unlawful, of any individual. The Mendes/Sledge bill attempts to circumvent this law by prohibiting the collection of immigration status information, possibly inviting the Tennessee General Assembly to pass a law…

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

Chris Alto
Tennessee Star

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…

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Metro Council Pushing Illegal Aliens Who Commit Crimes Back into Nashville Communities

Chris Alto

  This week, two proposed ordinances intended to effectuate sanctuary city practices that will protect illegal aliens who commit crimes in Davidson County, were introduced and processed through a first reading. The TN Immigrant & Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC), a formal affiliate of the National Council of La Raza and recipient of funding from George Soros, assisted the bills’s primary co-sponsors, Bob Mendes and Colby Sledge, in drafting the language. Sledge is married to TIRRC’s co-director Lindsey Harris. Two days after President Trump issued his Executive Order calling for enforcement of U.S. immigration laws and the removal of criminal aliens, TIRRC called for local governments to stop cooperating with federal immigration authorities, a key feature of sanctuary city policies and practices. Councilman Mendes denies that the bills create sanctuary policies. However, Mayor Megan Barry, Mendes, Sledge and TIRRC, have consistently used coded language reflective of their bias and objectives with references such as “undocumented immigrant,” “non-citizens,” “welcoming” and “family reunification” to signal their support for open borders and shielding both criminal and non-criminal illegal aliens from deportation. Openthebooks.com’s report which includes Nashville as a sanctuary city, says that “operationally, the DOJ enforces a legal definition of sanctuary city,” relying on…

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Activist Lawyers Admit Nashville Has an Illegal Immigration Problem

Chris Alto
Tennessee Star

  On April 7, 2017, Nashville activist pro-illegal immigration lawyers Elliot Ozment, J. Gerard Stranch, IV, Tricia Herzfeld and Anthony Orlandi, sued Metro Nashville, Davidson County and Sheriff Daron Hall, on behalf of Saudi national Abdullah Abriq, who overstayed his student visa, and “hundred and likely thousands of immigrants” subject to detainer requests issued by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and that “[u]pon information and belief, the Defendants have taken custody of, and detained, thousands of Administrative Detainees over the past five years.” ICE has the responsibility and authority to detain foreign nationals who overstay their visas and those who have entered the U.S. illegally even if they have not committed a criminal offense. So far in fiscal year 2017, thirty-seven percent of immigration offenders adjudicated in immigration court involving either simple immigration violations and/or a criminal offense, have been allowed to remain in Tennessee. Of cases where the judge permits the offender to remain, over 1,000 of the cases involve immigration violations while sixteen are classified as “criminal/national security/terror.” Abriq’s lawsuit alleges that without a valid agreement with ICE, Nashville’s Sheriff Daron Hall has no authority to comply with ICE detainer requests and as a result, violated the plaintiffs’ Fourth…

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