Kristi Noem tells undocumented immigrants in Nashville to ‘go home’

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem advised undocumented Nashville residents to self-deport, offering a $1,000 incentive and the opportunity to return later.
Noem’s visit followed recent ICE operations in Nashville that resulted in the arrest of hundreds of migrants, purportedly targeting those with criminal histories.
Tennessee Rep. Justin Jones was escorted from the TSA checkpoint before Noem’s arrival after attempting to question her about the ICE arrests.
Noem criticized Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell for releasing a document that briefly included the names of ICE agents, claiming it put their lives at risk.

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem advised any Nashville residents who are in the country illegally to self-deport during a visit to Nashville International Airport on July 17.

“What I would say to them is, ‘Go home.’ They still have the opportunity to self-deport, to go back to their country.” Noem said. “When they land, we give them $1,000, and then they get the opportunity to come back, right? That is still the very best option for everybody in this country illegally, and that would be my hope of what they would do.”

Just before her speech, airport security escorted Tennessee Rep. Justin Jones (D-Nashville) away from the event.

Noem’s arrival in Nashville comes one month after officials from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, an agency under her leadership, confirmed the arrest of 544 migrants in the area through operations that began May 2. ICE officials said their actions targeted people with criminal histories. Jones said he intended to confront Noem about those deportations.

The agency provided limited information on 15 individuals detained and released the names of nine.

In the days after a swarm of ICE activity began in Nashville, the Department of Homeland Security announced a $1,000 stipend and travel assistance to anyone who voluntary deports themselves. DHS said immigrants in the country illegally may submit an “intent to depart” form online in order to be “deprioritized for detention and removal ahead of their departure.”

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State Rep. Justin Jones removed from Nashville airport ahead of Noem’s arrival

Before Noem arrived to the security checkpoint at BNA, airport security escorted Tennessee Rep. Justin Jones (D-Nashville) away from the area at the request of Homeland Security staff.

Jones said he was there to get answers for his constituents who were arrested by ICE agents earlier this summer.

“Many of them have never been charged with a crime. They were taken, and many of them, we don’t know what happened to them,” Jones said. “This is on Secretary Noem, who refuses to answer, who’s scared to talk to lawmakers and is hiding behind secrecy because she knows what she’s doing is on the wrong side of history.”

Jones said he received prior approval from airport officials to attend the press conference, but DHS communications manager Thomas Wackman said that was a mistake. Jones and another man entered the area designated for press after providing their names to Secret Service agents at the door, and moments later, DHS officials asked them to leave.

“He has the right to represent his district, but he doesn’t have the right to trespass on private property,” Wackman said. “He wasn’t invited. This is an invite-only event for media.”

Noem says Nashville Mayor put ‘lives at risk’ in response to ICE

In May, when Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell’s office released a spreadsheet detailing city departments’ communications related to federal immigration enforcement, it contained the names of several ICE agents involved in local detentions.

Those names have since been removed from the online document, but officials like U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) have called the act “doxxing”— a word that typically refers to publishing private or identifying information about an individual with malicious intent.

On Thursday, Noem referenced the situation saying she hoped it was a mistake.

“He really put their lives at risk,” she said. “Doxxing very much exposes them and their families to dangerous situations.”

Hadley Hitson covers business news for The Tennessean. She can be reached at [email protected]. To support her work, subscribe to The Tennessean.

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