Just as we anticipated, mayors of some of the cities that will be targeted in the mass immigration raids expected to begin on Sunday have already vowed to do everything in their power to stymie ICE. According to the Hill, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said she would take “concrete steps” to support immigrant communities as the raids begin.
And that involves cutting off access to Chicago PD databases, robbing ICE of one more resource to help them track down immigrant families that have received deportation orders.
Lightfoot said in a statement released via Twitter on Friday that she had directed Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson to terminate ICE’s access to the Chicago Police Department’s databases related to immigration enforcement activities.
THREAD 1/ We are all aware of the threat from President Trump regarding raids by ICE, and in response, Chicago has taken concrete steps to support our immigrant communities.
— Mayor Lori Lightfoot (@chicagosmayor) June 21, 2019
2/ I have directed – and Superintendent Johnson has confirmed – that CPD has terminated ICE’s access to CPD’s databases related to federal immigration enforcement activities.
— Mayor Lori Lightfoot (@chicagosmayor) June 21, 2019
3/ I have also personally spoken with ICE leadership in Chicago and voiced my strong objection to any such raids. Further, I reiterated that CPD will not cooperate with or facilitate any ICE enforcement actions.
— Mayor Lori Lightfoot (@chicagosmayor) June 21, 2019
4/ Chicago will always be a welcoming city and a champion for the rights of our immigrant and refugee communities, and I encourage any resident in need of legal aid to contact the National Immigrant Justice Center (@NIJC). More info here: https://t.co/NTMAmhmBbn
— Mayor Lori Lightfoot (@chicagosmayor) June 21, 2019
As WaPo reported last night, the ICE operation is expected to begin on Sunday. It’s expected that 2,000 families facing deportation orders living in 10 cities with large immigrant communities, including Houston, Chicago, Miami and Los Angeles, will be arrested. President Trump first announced plans for the raids on Monday.
ICE has been readying agents for the raids, and has been renting out hotel rooms to use as staging areas, where families will be held while they await deportation.
Democrats have criticized Trump’s plan, and some of the 2020 candidates have weighed in.
Millions of people will enter this weekend filled with fear. Children who are U.S. citizens will wonder if their mothers will be ripped from home in the pre-dawn hours before church on Sunday. And why? So Trump can vilify immigrants as part of a political campaign. It’s shameful. https://t.co/5kQSH2CeQN
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) June 21, 2019
Elizabeth Warren accused the administration of being “inhumane.”
Deporting hundreds of families—separating more children from their parents in the process—is inhumane. Our immigration policies should reflect America’s values, not betray them. My administration will defend and protect immigrants and their families. https://t.co/p8Dc4woi6r
— Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) June 21, 2019
If ICE agents show up at your door, know your rights.
Si agentes del ICE llegan a tu puerta, conoce tus derechos. pic.twitter.com/m3UlUjoR4B— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) June 21, 2019
But as President Trump pointed out, the people who will be apprehended in this weekend’s raid have all been ordered to leave the country – and deliberately disobeyed that order.
The people that Ice will apprehend have already been ordered to be deported. This means that they have run from the law and run from the courts. These are people that are supposed to go back to their home country. They broke the law by coming into the country, & now by staying.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 22, 2019
When people come into our Country illegally, they will be DEPORTED!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 22, 2019
All of this is happening as Republicans press Democrats for more funding to address the crisis at the border. But if anything, each side will double down as immigration again becomes the keynote issue of the election in 2020.
via ZeroHedge News http://bit.ly/2x6jkmc Tyler Durden