Fears Spread With Threat Of ICE Deportations

OAKLAND, CA — Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf said today that reports that federal immigration officials are preparing for a major sweep of cities such as Oakland that have sanctuary policies are making many of the city's residents nervous.

"The level of fear and anxiety in this community is at unconscionable levels," Schaaf said.

Referring to President Donald Trump, Schaaf said, "It is no surprise that the bully in chief is continuing to try to intimidate our most vulnerable residents."

But she said, "We're very clear that our values are to protect all of our residents regardless of where we come from. We want to protect families, not tear them apart."

Schaaf said, "We are exercising our legal right to be a sanctuary city. The fact that the federal government is suggesting that it is actively retaliating against jurisdictions that are exercising their right to have
sanctuary policies - that is what is illegal."

Sanctuary cities such as Oakland have policies that limit cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities.

Asked if she is willing to go to jail to defend Oakland's policies, Schaaf said, "Yes!"

The mayor said Oakland police won't help U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials if they conduct raids in her city. "Our policy is that Oakland is hands off," Schaaf said.

Schaaf's comments today came a few hours after the Oakland City Council voted unanimously on Tuesday night to clarify that the city's Police Department won't provide any assistance, including traffic support, to ICE officials if they conduct any raids in the city.

City Councilwoman Rebecca Kaplan authored the resolution following the Police Department's role in an August raid in which a person was detained and now faces deportation.Oakland officers provided traffic support for ICE agents who were carrying out the raid.

"It is not acceptable for the Oakland administration to collude with ICE, as this federal agency is targeting non-criminals, harassing people based on their national origin, and undermining our justice system," Kaplan
said in a statement.

"The head of ICE under Trump (Acting ICE Director Thomas Homan) has publicly stated that his intention is to strike fear into communities, and now he is targeting California and cities like Oakland," Kaplan said.

"The actions of ICE worsen community-police relations, and make everyone less safe, by causing victims and witnesses of crime to be afraid to come forward," she said.

Kaplan said what she described as Homan's "threat against public officials who oppose the targeting of immigrants" is "entirely inappropriate for someone running a law enforcement agency, as it perpetuates racial
prejudice, and weakens the community-police relations that are vital to stopping serious crime."

Kaplan said, "I continue to stand opposed to such actions, and will continue to denounce, and refuse to collude in, Trump's racist agenda."

Schaaf said the city helps fund legal support for residents facing imminent deportation and those residents can call a hotline at (510) 241-4011 for assistance.

— Bay City News; Image: Private California prison where ICE detainees are held: File AP Photo Elliot Spagat