Attorney General Jeff Sessions spoke on Tuesday, discussing immigration issues the day after the Justice Department filed a lawsuit against the State of California claiming that some of their immigration-related policies violate the Constitution. In particular, the lawsuit criticizes the state’s efforts to impede federal efforts to locate and deport undocumented immigrants. In Tuesday’s address before the Alliance of California Law Enforcement, Sessions also called out the Mayor of Oakland, who recently took a bold step to protect undocumented immigrants from federal agents.
Last week, Mayor Libby Schaaf tweeted a warning about an expected ICE raid, and ICE Acting Director Thomas Homan claimed that as a result, federal officials were only able to track down and arrest 150 people, leaving what he claimed to be more than 800 “significant public safety threat criminals.” Sessions had some strong words for Schaaf.
“How dare you,” Sessions said. “How dare you needlessly endanger the lives of our law enforcement officers to promote a radical open borders agenda.”
Sessions blamed Schaaf for allowing hundreds of criminals to evade detection, forcing federal officials to use additional resources to track them down.
After tweeting her tip, Schaaf defended her actions, saying her warning was “meant to give all residents time to learn their rights and know their legal options.”
Sessions has long railed against jurisdictions that have sought to protect undocumented immigrants who remain in the country illegally. The new lawsuit attacks California’s laws, which it says prohibits employers from cooperating with federal authorities, and limits the ability of local officials from assisting the feds by giving them information about undocumented immigrants who are in custody. Through their lawsuit, the Justice Department is looking for the court to deem California’s laws unconstitutional, as well as an injunction keeping California from enforcing those policies.
[Image via PBS screengrab]
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