On Sunday, May 4, in south Nashville, Immigration and Customs Enforcement collaborated with the Tennessee Highway Patrol to conduct a traffic operation that involved stopping around 150 vehicles, resulting in several detentions related to immigration enforcement. The detainments followed recent state immigration crackdowns and occurred without prior coordination or consent from Mayor Freddie O’Connell.
O’Connell criticized the federal action as not enhancing safety, vowed to seek detainees’ names, and confirmed Metro Police were uninvolved in stops.
The events led to community protests and legal efforts, highlighting fears of family separation and calls for a focus on public safety over immigration enforcement tactics.
