“The Immigration agents are coming, the immigration agents are coming,” proclaimed Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf as she rode through the Bay Area warning her fellow countrymen, er, fellow humans of potential deportation. Not actually, but the liberal mayor did issue a statement that sought to undermine an Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation which could have potentially netted dozens of illegal immigrants throughout her city.
On Saturday, February 24, the Office of Mayor Libby Schaaf issued a statement, saying, “Earlier today, I learned from multiple credible sources that the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is preparing to conduct an operation in the Bay Area, including Oakland, starting as soon as within the next 24 hours.As Mayor of Oakland, I am sharing this information publicly not to panic our residents but to protect them.”
In direct opposition to federal law, the mayor continued, “Oakland police officers are prohibited from participating in ICE activities. Additionally, California state law prohibits business owners from assisting ICE agents in immigration enforcement and bars federal agents from accessing employee-only areas.”
Despite ICE making it clear on numerous occasions that when local authorities do not cooperate with the federal government, safety actually decreases, Mayor Schaaf said her priority was to get people to prepare, not panic.
"My priority is for the well-being and safety of all residents — particularly our most vulnerable — and I know that Oakland is safer when we share information, encourage community awareness, and care for our neighbors,” the defiant Democrat said in the statement.
So far today, there have been no reports regarding any ICE operations in Oakland. Just last week, ICE arrested 212 illegal aliens in the Los Angeles area.