Latest news with #TheBelongingFund
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Immigrant rights groups respond to TN congressman's call for federal investigation into Nashville mayor's office
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Immigrant rights advocates have criticized Tennessee Congressman Andy Ogles' call for a federal investigation into Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell's office. Ogles has publicly questioned whether Nashville officials misused federal funds and whether the mayor was 'aiding and abetting' illegal immigration — without providing proof. 'The mayor stands up and is defending those types of individuals over our hard-working law enforcement: Homeland Security, ICE, THP, the sheriff's department, and the city,' Ogles said. 'He is choosing criminals over Tennesseans.' PREVIOUS | 'We're going to take a look': TN congressman doubles down on call for investigation into Nashville mayor Part of the controversy is The Belonging Fund, launched by a nonprofit after recent ICE roundups in South Nashville. Metro promoted the fund, which provides emergency support to immigrants, covering basics like food, housing, and transportation. Ogles has claimed that the fund illegally aids undocumented immigrants. Additionally, Ogles claims that O'Connell and State Representative Aftyn Behn (D-Nashville) encouraged interference against ICE. Both O'Connell and Behn have denied the allegations. 'If Representative Andy Ogles wants to talk about investigations, I think he should start to look in the mirror,' Behn told News 2. 'This man is a walking ethics violation.' Metro officials say no taxpayer dollars were used for The Belonging Fund, and it does not cover legal services or immigration defense. 'If you come into this country illegally, your very first act is illegal,' Ogles said. However, advocates for immigrants have expressed skepticism on any case against Metro officials, including O'Connell. 'The Tennessee Highway Patrol had ongoing operations for at least a week, and nobody stopped anything from happening,' Executive Director for Advocates for Immigrants Rights, Casey Bryant, said. 'If they are providing blanket services that happen to cover undocumented individuals, then I don't really see that mens rea — that willful and intelligent component to the violation of that law,' Director for the Immigrant Justice Program CLC, Colton Bane, said. 'It just happens to have such a wide range that these people could get some assistance.' Bane said that Nashville could see federal retaliation. 'What I think is much more likely in this situation is the withholding of federal funds for the city of Nashville, which tends to be the go-to tactic when the federal government is seeking to punish a city or state,' Bane explained. Behn said she thinks Ogles' threats are a distraction from Tennesseans' real needs. 'Our groceries still cost a lot, healthcare is bankrupting families, and our wages haven't improved, and the republican party has no way of fixing this and, so instead, they are scapegoating a very small marginalized community,' Behn said. Ogles also emphasized his belief that noncitizens have no due process rights, which is untrue. 'Outside, they are chanting 'Protect due process,' do you think every person who was arrested in the local ICE raids has a right to due process?' a reporter asked Ogles. 'No, so if you are a noncitizen under the current law, you can be removed in an expeditious manner,' Ogles responded. Bryant stressed that if noncitizens were to lose their right to due process, it would impact citizens. ⏩ 'Due process is something that we value highly in the criminal context, and it is historically what has made this country a more just place, but if we take due process rights away from noncitizens, then it is just a matter of time before other people, even citizens are deprived of their due process rights,' Bryant explained. News 2 reached out to both O'Connell's office and ICE for comment. However, as of publication, we have received no response. Metro Legal did not have a comment. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Posthumous John Prine covers EP released to benefit fund supporting Nashville immigrants amid ICE arrests
On May 16, Nashville's Oh Boy Records released a posthumous collection of cover songs by John Prine to benefit The Belonging Fund, which supports immigrants in Nashville in moments of crisis. The EP release follows a week-long operation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Nashville that resulted in the arrest of 196 immigrants. "Oh Boy Records is proud to call Nashville home, and we're also proud to be a record label that's run by immigrants," it says on the Oh Boy Records' bandcamp. "We wanted to do something to help support the immigrant community here, and to also hopefully spread some joy to fans of John." The country-folk hero died in 2020 due to complications related to COVID-19. Oh Boy Records was co-founded by Prine in 1981 and is now run by the Prine family, including Prine's wife Fiona Whelan Prine, who was born in Ireland and immigrated to the U.S. in 1993. "Oh Boy Records is announcing the release of 'The Belonging EP Vol. 1' a collection of cover songs by John Prine. "Available for a limited time, and sold exclusively on Bandcamp, all proceeds from the sale of the EP will be given to The Belonging Fund." The label suggests buying the record for the suggested price of $10, but if listeners are able to afford more, Oh Boy says the funds are going directly to families in urgent need. The Belonging Fund was launched by the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee (CFMT) and the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County to support immigrants through a variety of needs, from housing instability and child care to transportation and food insecurity. To learn more about Prine's EP, visit ICE's operation in Nashville included 468 traffic stops made in a joint operation with the Tennessee Highway Patrol on May 8. ICE spokesperson Lindsay Williams said the operation focused on identifying those with criminal histories and that of the 196 arrested, 95 had prior criminal convictions or pending criminal charges. Speaking from detention: Nashville immigrant, 19, went out for ice cream, ended up detained by ICE and sent to Louisiana. 'We're not criminals,' he says ICE has released limited information on seven of the 196 arrested. They did not provide the names of anyone. The Metro Nashville Council Immigrant Caucus has condemned the "tactics, scope, and narrative" used by the Department of Homeland Security. "While we all share a commitment to public safety, true safety is never achieved through fear-based enforcement that harms entire communities under false pretenses," the caucus said in a news release on May 13. "Let us be clear: Accountability must never come at the expense of due process, human dignity, or community trust." 1. 'My Old Kentucky Home'2. 'All My Love (Oh Boy!)'3. 'Loretta'4. 'I Just Called to Say I Love You'5. 'Sweet and Dandy' Contributing: Craig Shoup This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: John Prine covers EP to benefit immigrants amid Nashville ICE arrests
