
Traffic stops scrutinized in neighborhood with many immigrants
Nashville progressive leaders and immigrant advocacy groups decried a large-scale traffic stop operation over the weekend targeting a heavily Hispanic neighborhood.
Why it matters: The coordinated operation between federal and state officers in South Nashville came amid President Trump's hardline stance on immigration.
The big picture: Nashville leaders have worked to cultivate the city's reputation as being welcoming to immigrants. Last year, activists and politicians gathered to celebrate the 15th anniversary of voters rejecting a ballot measure to make English the city government's official language.
What they're saying: "Arbitrarily rounding up parents on their way home and workers traveling to their jobs does not make Nashville safer or stronger," Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition executive director Lisa Sherman Luna said in a statement. "Instead it shatters families, erodes trust in law enforcement, and leads to fear, trauma and isolation that weakens the collective fabric of our community."
Following the raids, protesters gathered Sunday at the Nashville Department of Homeland Security facility. Nashville police officers were on hand for crowd control during the protest, Mayor Freddie O'Connell's office said in a statement.
Driving the news: The Tennessee Highway Patrol collaborated with officers from the Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Department of Homeland Security to make about 150 traffic stops in the early morning hours on Sunday, according to a state spokesperson.
In some cases, federal agents enforced immigration-related matters during the stops. State troopers made a few arrests for outstanding warrants, according to the spokesperson.
At least 20 people were "impacted" by ICE activity, according to a press release from the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition.
Zoom out: Earlier this year, the Legislature passed legislation that created a state immigration enforcement office, provided grants to local law enforcement and made it a felony for local officials to back sanctuary city policies. Republican lawmakers said their legislation would allow the state to assist in Trump's immigration crackdown.
The other side:"THP officers should be focused on roadway safety, not detaining parents heading to drop their kids off at daycare or pulling over residents based on their appearance, language, or neighborhood," state Rep. Aftyn Behn, a Nashville Democrat, said in a statement.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


CNBC
17 minutes ago
- CNBC
Elon Musk's favorability among Republicans dropped 16 points since March, Quinnipiac says
Elon Musk's official role in the Trump administration recently came to an end. Many Republicans won't be sad to see less of him, according to the results of Quinnipiac University's latest public opinion survey. While a majority of Republicans still hold a favorable view of Musk, the number fell to 62% in the poll out Wednesday, down from 78% in March, Quinnipiac said. Overall, the Quinnipiac poll found that 30% of self-identified voters surveyed in the U.S. hold a favorable opinion of Musk, according to polling from June 5 to June 9. Republican and Democratic voters remain deeply divided in their views of the world's richest man, who contributed nearly $300 million to propel President Donald Trump back to the White House. Only 3% of Democrats surveyed said they held a favorable of view of the Tesla CEO, who was once seen as an environmental leader appealing to liberal values. Musk didn't respond to a request for comment. Musk and Trump had a very public falling out last week that started with Musk's disapproval of the president's spending bill and escalated into an all-out war of words that played out on social media. Musk said on Wednesday that he regretted some of the posts he made about Trump last week, adding that "they went too far." Even with a slide in his favorability, Musk is still popular among Republicans after his time running the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an effort to dramatically slash the size of the federal government. Among the Republican respondents to the early June poll, 80% rated Musk and DOGE's work as either excellent or good, while 13% said it was either not so good or poor. In the March poll, 82% of Republicans surveyed said they thought Musk and DOGE were helping the country. Read the full survey results here.
Yahoo
26 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Embattled DNC vice chair decides not to run after diversity re-vote called
David Hogg, the 25-year-old progressive firebrand, will not compete in the new Democratic National Committee (DNC) vice chair elections that were decided today after a majority of members voted for a new election. After three days of submitting electronic ballots, DNC members voted to uphold the Credentials Committee's resolution proposed by longtime Democratic Party activist Kalyn Free to host a re-election for two vice-chair positions, currently held by Hogg and Malcolm Kenyatta. Seventy-five percent of those who cast a ballot voted in favor of the resolution, while 25% voted against it. A total of 89% of DNC members cast a ballot. "The DNC will immediately move to administer new ballots for the final two Vice Chair positions, one of which must be held by a male and one of which may be held by a candidate of any gender," said the DNC's Deputy Press Secretary Nina Raneses. "The election for the male Vice Chair position will commence tomorrow morning at 10:00AM ET." Democrats' Vice Chair Gets Ultimatum: Stay Neutral In Primaries Or Step Down From Party Leadership With Hogg's withdrawal, Kenyatta is now the only candidate for the male vice chair slot. The DNC's decision is the latest political blow to Hogg, who stirred up intraparty divisions this year for his $20 million pledge to primary-challenge older Democrats in safe blue districts he said are "asleep at the wheel" through his outside political action group, Leaders We Deserve. Read On The Fox News App "I came into this role to play a positive role in creating the change our party needs," Hogg wrote in a statement to the New York Times. "It is clear that there is a fundamental disagreement about the role of a Vice Chair — and it's OK to have disagreements. What isn't OK is allowing this to remain our focus when there is so much more we need to be focused on." "Ultimately, I have decided to not run in this upcoming election so the party can focus on what really matters," Hogg added. Meanwhile, Hogg also published a lengthy X thread explaining his decision not to run for reelection and criticizing many aspects of the Democratic Party, but deleted it shortly after posting. Hogg's decision to leave the DNC comes on the heels of a damning Politico report, which included leaked audio from a Zoom meeting of DNC Chair Ken Martin lamenting Hogg's fallout at the DNC, claiming it has made it harder for Democrats to do their jobs and for Martin to demonstrate his ability to lead. "No one knows who the hell I am, right? I'm trying to get my sea legs underneath of me and actually develop any amount of credibility so I can go out there and raise the money and do the job I need to put ourselves in a position to win," Martin told Hogg on the May 15 Zoom call. "I don't think you intended this, but you essentially destroyed any chance I have to show the leadership that I need to. So it's really frustrating," But the criticism didn't stop Hogg from defying advice and wading into additional Democrat primaries by endorsing Virginia state Del. Irene Shin in the special election to replace the late Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va. Dnc Chair Ripped David Hogg Over Party Infighting In Leaked Meeting Audio: 'Really Frustrating' Martin affirmed the DNC would stay neutral in Democratic primaries following Hogg's multimillion-dollar announcement. And the DNC chair gave Hogg the ultimatum to either rescind his vice-chair position or forego his political influence through his PAC. "I commend David for his years of activism, organizing, and fighting for his generation, and while I continue to believe he is a powerful voice for this party, I respect his decision to step back from his post as Vice Chair," Martin said in a statement following Hogg's announcement he would not seek reelection as DNC vice chair. "I have no doubt that he will remain an important advocate for Democrats across the map. I appreciate his service as an officer, his hard work, and his dedication to the party." While DNC officials, past and present, said the vote to host vice chair re-elections had nothing to do with Hogg personally, the progressive Gan Z activist framed the DNC's vote as an expedited plan to remove him as vice chair. Hogg said Martin's newly proposed "neutrality pledge" was "trying to change the rules because I'm not currently breaking them." David Hogg Slams 'Fast-track' Effort To Oust Him As Dnc Vice Chair "While this vote was based on how the DNC conducted its officers' elections, which I had nothing to do with, it is also impossible to ignore the broader context of my work to reform the party which loomed large over this vote," Hogg said after the Credentials Committee voted to elevate Free's complaint before the full committee. Free submitted her complaint following the DNC's Feb. 1 officer elections, in which Hogg and Kenyatta were elected vice chairs. Free claimed the DNC's tabulation method violated the charter's provision and parliamentary procedure and "discriminated against three women of color candidates." Last month, the Credentials Committee found the vice-chair officer elections violated parliamentary procedure and voted to recommend the DNC conduct a new election for the two vice-chair positions. Now that the full DNC has called for a new vote, they will conduct a re-election from June 12-17. One vice-chair position may be filled by a male and one may be a candidate of any gender, according to the DNC. Only the candidates who were eligible for the third ballot during the Feb. 1 election qualify for the re-election, which includes Kenyatta, Free, Jeanna Repass and Shasti Conrad. Kenyatta is reportedly the only male. "This was never about Malcolm Kenyatta or David Hogg," Free told Fox News Digital after the Credentials Committee elevated her complaint. "For me, this was about ensuring that the Democratic Party lives up to our ideals as the only political party to believe in and stand up for election integrity and a free and fair democracy." But Kenyatta, who picked up the most votes during the Feb. 1 election, has criticized Hogg for playing "fast and loose with the facts without rebuttal." "Any story about this that neatly places this into a narrative about David Hogg is wrong," Kenyatta said of the re-election buzz. "I worked my a-- off to get this role and have done the job every day since I've held it. This story is complex, and I'm frustrated — but it's not about @davidhogg111. Even though he clearly wants it to be."Original article source: Embattled DNC vice chair decides not to run after diversity re-vote called
Yahoo
26 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Rally outside CBP office in Detroit condemns Trump's mass deportations
A small but vocal group of demonstrators rallied Wednesday, June 11, outside the U.S. Customs and Border Protection office on Michigan Avenue in Detroit to oppose ongoing Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids and deportations, as large-scale protests unfold in Los Angeles. Organized by BAMN — the Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action, Integration and Immigrant Rights and Fight for Equality By Any Means Necessary — the rally aimed to spotlight what activists describe as a coordinated assault on immigrant communities. "We're here to stand in solidarity with our fellow organizers and everybody in LA who's standing up. That's what we need to do in every city across the country to stop (President Donald) Trump's ethnic cleansing plan," said Nicole Conaway of Detroit, a BAMN organizer for the past 15 years. Earlier in the day, protesters also demonstrated in front of the Patrick V. McNamara Federal Building in downtown Detroit, down the block from where the evening protest was held. According to activists, five or six individuals — most of them believed to be Venezuelan — were detained after their immigration cases were dismissed in court, a practice that immigrant advocates say is becoming increasingly common. "That's happening more and more. Regardless of the outcome, people have been snatched up straight out of court — and we've known people that this has happened to," said Kate Stenvig, another BAMN organizer and Detroit resident. A spokesman for ICE did not comment specifically on the alleged arrests in Detroit, but said that ICE officers are permitted 'to conduct civil immigration enforcement actions in or near courthouses when they have credible information that leads them to believe the targeted alien(s) is or will be present at a specific location, and where such action is not precluded by laws imposed by the jurisdiction in which the enforcement action will take place.' The local protests come amid escalating tensions in Los Angeles, where Trump has deployed hundreds of National Guard troops to respond to public demonstrations against his administration's immigration crackdowns. State and city leaders have said the move has only heightened unrest. 'Trump is not just deporting criminals. He is just deporting anyone who's Black and Brown, pretty much,' Conaway said. 'It's a racist, white supremacist, fascist regime, and the way to stop it is mass collective organizing and mass action like we're seeing in LA right now.' More: ICE denies Detroit high school student's request to stay in U.S. until graduation Though Wednesday's rally in Detroit drew approximately 20 participants, it also drew support from passersby. Drivers honked their horns, and a group riding on The Michigan Pedaler cheered in solidarity. Protesters held signs reading, 'Defend your neighbors against ICE' and 'Immigrants make America Great,' while chanting, 'LA has shown the way, immigrants are here to stay.' In addition to street activism, BAMN also operates a legal wing that represents families facing deportation. Conaway said she's seen firsthand how families have been torn apart at the office they were protesting outside of. More: More foreign students in Michigan targeted for deportation, including 22 at U-M 'One of our legal clients went in for a check-in right here, to this building (on Michigan Avenue), and never came out. They were detained there,' she said. Conaway added that she believes what's at stake goes beyond immigration policy. 'If Trump can win this battle, then we're further down the road to fascism and him being a dictator and not leaving the White House without force,' she said. More: Detroit criminal deportation cases skyrocket in Trump's first 100 days A spokesman for ICE did not comment specifically on the alleged arrests in Detroit, but said that ICE officers are permitted 'to conduct civil immigration enforcement actions in or near courthouses when they have credible information that leads them to believe the targeted alien(s) is or will be present at a specific location, and where such action is not precluded by laws imposed by the jurisdiction in which the enforcement action will take place.' Several protests against ICE and Trump's immigration policies are planned throughout the country for Saturday, June 14 — the president's birthday. Organizers said BAMN, along with other activist groups, will lead a march beginning at 1 p.m. at Clark Park in Detroit. Free Press reporter Niraj Warikoo contributed to this report. Nour Rahal is a trending and breaking news reporter. Email her: nrahal@ Follow her on Twitter @nrahal1. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit activists protest ICE, show solidarity with LA demonstrations