Do you remember a few days ago when I told you about Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf and her warning to illegal aliens that ICE was going to be conducting raids, and that it could get her in trouble with several federal illegal immigration statutes? Well, she could be in trouble, but, unfortunately, not for those laws, but something else
(AP) A federal official said Wednesday that about 800 “criminals” avoided immigration arrests because Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf alerted the public to the surprise operation, an extraordinarily high number of missed targets.
Thomas Homan, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s acting director, told Fox News that the mayor’s warning on Twitter was “beyond the pale” and compared her to a gang lookout who tells people when a police car is arriving. Homan said the Justice Department is looking into whether Schaaf obstructed justice.
That would be multiple violations of laws like 8 US Code 73. Ones like subsection 1502, Resistance to an extradition officer
Whoever knowingly and willfully obstructs, resists, or opposes an extradition agent of the United States in the execution of his duties, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both.
And 1510, obstruction of criminal investigations. And there are several other US codes that cover her flagrant unlawful protection of illegal aliens as obstruction.
It was unclear how many people would have eluded capture without the mayor’s warning but Homan squarely blamed her for 800 and said her actions jeopardized officer safety.
“There’s over 800 significant public safety threat criminals, these are people who are here illegally and committed yet another crime, been convicted of a crime,” he told Fox. “She gave them warning, and there’s 800 that we were unable to locate because of that warning, so that community’s a lot less safe than it would have been.”
The agency said about half of the people arrested in the San Francisco area have criminal convictions in addition to immigration violations, including convictions for assault, weapons offenses and driving under the influence. It is impossible to independently verify that claim because the agency refuses to name them. Its statement released Wednesday identified only one arrest by name.
So, bad people. I thought Democrats agreed that we don’t wan the “bad ones”? No?
The mayor, who is running for another term this year, defended her actions again on Wednesday, saying she was not tipped off by “official sources” and that she didn’t reveal specific locations.
Asked about Homan likening her to a gang lookout, she said the “Trump administration is trying to distract the American people, convince them that these immigrants are dangerous people. That could not be further from the truth and it is based in racism.”
First, she knows that her big mouth could possibly be getting her in big criminal trouble. Second, has she missed the part about people with criminal convictions being picked up?
Homan should solicit the DOJ to charge her with obstruction and a few of the harboring of illegal alien codes, make an example. We have laws. People must follow them. If they don’t, there should be penalties.
Of course, I’d say there’s an 85% chance that nothing will happen.
It looks to me like strict reading of that law would not apply in this case. Further, I think constantly warning criminals that the law is after them is a great tactic. It’s a welcome change from the the previous policy of letting criminals live opening in our community. To the extent they live in our communities, they should feel unwelcome. If I were ICE, I would call this woman every day and tell them we will be enforcing laws in her city. Every day.