(José Niño, Headline USA) When Democratic state Rep. Aftyn Behn live-streamed an U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operation in Nashville, she set off a political firestorm that’s still burning.
Last week, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reportedly accused Behn of “siding with vicious cartels, human traffickers, and violent criminals” after she live-streamed herself following Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) vehicles during a joint immigration enforcement operation with ICE.
Behn, a progressive Democrat and licensed social worker first elected in a 2023 special election, documented THP’s involvement in traffic stops targeting immigrant communities in South Nashville.
This Administration is not playing games with the lives and safety of our ICE officers. People doxxing our officers and impeding ICE operations are siding with vicious cartels, human traffickers, and violent criminals.
While sanctuary politicians are fighting for criminal… https://t.co/wMh7DrL7Vh
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) May 21, 2025
According to a report by Axios, the operation, conducted in early May, resulted in 196 arrests by ICE, including 95 individuals with prior criminal convictions.
DHS condemned Behn’s actions and described them as “doxxing” and “impeding ICE operations,” alleging they endangered federal agents and are “siding with vicious cartels, human traffickers, and violent criminals.”
The department cited a 413% increase in assaults on ICE officers since 2021, connecting the trend to anti-enforcement activism.
Behn defended her actions as a response to “state-sponsored fear and violence,” arguing THP’s collaboration with ICE eroded community trust and targeted vulnerable populations. She asserted that Dragnet “terrorize families, disrupt lives, and shatter trust between law enforcement and the communities they are supposed to serve” she stated, criticizing Tennessee’s expanded anti-immigrant laws under Governor Bill Lee.
Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., amplified DHS’s criticisms, calling for congressional investigations into Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell’s executive order requiring Metro employees to report ICE communications to his office within 24 hours.
Tennessee Star Lead Reporter @realTomPappert joins @michaelpleahy to discuss the odd and potentially illegal behavior of TN State Rep. Aftyn Behn following law enforcement around the city of Nashville. pic.twitter.com/KrEwUaUDEY
— Tennessee Star (@TheTNStar) May 21, 2025
Ogles accused O’Connell of “obstructing federal law enforcement” and shielding criminals by potentially alerting immigrants to pending enforcement actions. The order, revised in the middle of May, mandates transparency but has faced scrutiny over its timing and intent.
Ogles also targeted O’Connell’s “Belonging Fund,” a public-private initiative to provide emergency aid to immigrants.
After Ogles sought a congressional investigation, O’Connell insisted that no taxpayer funds were used for the new initiative. However, public records show that two nonprofits which contributed $30,000 each to the fund had previously received over $1 million from Metro Nashville, sourced from former President Joe Biden’s American Rescue Plan, per a report by The Tennessee Star.
Despite demands for congressional oversight, the mayor has indicated he may pursue legal action against the Trump administration, alleging without evidence that some individuals detained by ICE and THP could be legal residents who simply lacked identification while driving in Nashville.
O’Connell recently said, “I think there is a strong probability that people have been detained who are here legally but simply did not have documentation with them as they were driving on the streets in Nashville. We want to validate that.”
With lawsuits and investigations looming, the state’s immigration policies remain under intense scrutiny.
José Niño is the deputy editor of Headline USA. Follow him at x.com/JoseAlNino
