Nashville Mayor Defends Releasing ICE Agents’ Names Amid Doxing Controversy

In a bold move that’s stirred up a hornet’s nest, Nashville’s Democratic Mayor Freddie O’Connell has doubled down on his office’s decision to release the names of federal immigration officers in a public report. The report, detailing interactions between local police and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), initially included officers’ names, sparking accusations of doxing. Despite backlash and the subsequent removal of the names, O’Connell insists it wasn’t an intentional act to endanger anyone.

“I wouldn’t call it doxing,” O’Connell said at a press conference, brushing off concerns. “These names were already part of public records through emergency communication calls. My bigger worry is the image of unmarked, masked individuals whisking people away in vehicles—that’s the real issue.”

ICE officials, however, aren’t buying it. Larry Adams, an ICE Assistant Field Office Director, told Nashville’s WZTV that publicizing names heightens risks, as faces can easily be matched to social media profiles. “It’s not just about us; it’s the threats to our families,” Adams said, highlighting the toll of working under intensified deportation policies.

The controversy has drawn heavy scrutiny. Tennessee Republican Rep. Andy Ogles prompted the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to investigate O’Connell for allegedly obstructing federal immigration efforts. Two congressional committees are also digging into O’Connell’s Executive Order 30, which mandates city departments to report federal immigration communications to Nashville’s Office of New Americans. Assistant DHS Secretary Tricia McLaughlin didn’t mince words, accusing the mayor’s actions of handing “intelligence to cartels on a silver platter” and endangering officers on the front lines.

O’Connell’s stance has ignited a firestorm, raising questions about transparency, safety, and the delicate balance between local and federal authority. As investigations unfold, the mayor’s unapologetic defense keeps Nashville at the center of a heated immigration debate.