A three-day raid by federal agents in Northern California resulted in the arrest of more than 150 people suspected of immigrant law violation, the Los Angeles Times reported late Tuesday night, about half of whom have criminal convictions.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials believe that public alerts about the upcoming raids made by the Oakland mayor left over 850 immigrants with criminal histories at large, according to the Times.
“The Oakland mayor’s decision to publicize her suspicions about ICE operations further increased that risk for my officers and alerted criminal aliens—making clear that this reckless decision was based on her political agenda with the very federal laws that ICE is sworn to uphold,” said ICE Deputy Director Thomas Homan in a statement. “I have to believe that some of them were able to elude us thanks to the mayor’s irresponsible decision.” Homan blamed the mayor’s alert, as well as sanctuary laws put in place in San Francisco and Oakland, for creating barriers to more arrests.
President Donald Trump criticized state officials last week for declaring California a sanctuary state, threatening to remove ICE from the area. The state passed a law in January that limits ICE access to private areas of employers’ businesses without a warrant and requires businesses to notify employees within 72 hours notice of inspection.
Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf sent out the public alert Saturday night after she heard about possible ICE operations in the area.
“I do not regret sharing this information. It is Oakland’s legal right to be a sanctuary city and we have not broken any laws. We believe our community is safer when families stay together,” Schaaf wrote in a tweet.
I do not regret sharing this information. It is Oakland’s legal right to be a sanctuary city and we have not broken any laws. We believe our community is safer when families stay together. pic.twitter.com/ng13yq431L
— Libby Schaaf (@LibbySchaaf) February 28, 2018
This raid follows two weeks after a five-day sweep resulting in the arrest of over 210 people in the Los Angeles area.
