Trump’s Border Czar Tom Homan has hit back at New York Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez after she dared him to arrest her for allegedly impeding the ICE by teaching illegal immigrants how to evade detention.
Appearing on Fox News’ The Ingraham Angle, Homan mocked AOC for obsessing over the threat because she knew her actions were borderline illegal and could have serious legal consequences.
“I take pleasure [that] I can live in her mind rent-free every day, but we all know exactly what she’s doing,” Homan told Laura Ingraham on Tuesday.
He reiterated that AOC was helping the worst criminals evade law enforcement. So far, Trump’s deportations have primarily targeted most violent illegal immigrants including rapists, drug dealers, and gang members.
“She’s educating the worst of the worst on how to evade law enforcement.”
However, Homan warned the far-Left Squad member that her antics were jeopardizing the illegal immigrants, as the Trump administration had finally received a favorable ruling to deport illegal aliens.
“But the tables have now turned. She’s educating people how to get prosecuted, because you have a final order,” he said.
“It is illegal to not comply with that order,” he added, noting that it is a crime to defy ICE removal orders or resist its actions when in custody.
“You can’t hinder your own removal that was ordered by the federal judge. I would like AOC to read Title 8, United States Code 1253 because it’s starting tomorrow.”
Title 8 USC 1253(a)(1) requires that illegal aliens with removal orders must strictly comply with ICE or face a fine or prison sentence. By teaching them how to evade ICE detention, AOC is setting them up for intentional defiance, which will ultimately land them in prison.
The spat between Homan and AOC started when the New York Democrat’s office held a “Know Your Rights” webinar advising illegal aliens on how to respond if they encounter ICE agents intending to deport them.
It instructed undocumented immigrants on how to identify different types of warrants and advised them to request relevant warrants. Back then, Homan suggested that AOC had crossed the line and was likely impeding ICE by instructing illegal aliens on how to evade detention.
“At what level is that impediment?” Homan asked. “I’m not an attorney, I’m not prosecuting. Is that impeding our law enforcement efforts?”
“If so, what are we going to do about it? Is she crossing the line? I’m working with the Department of Justice and finding out where is that line that they cross.”
In February, he told Fox News’ Ingraham that he had written to the Deputy Attorney General requesting additional guidance to investigate AOC. However, the far left Democrat contemptuously dared Homan to arrest her.
“Tom Homan said he was going to refer me to the DOJ because I’m using my free speech rights in order to advise people of their constitutional protections. To that I say: Come for me, do I look like I care?” Ocasio-Cortez said.
She also asserted that there was “nothing illegal about it and if they want to make it illegal, they can come take me,” suggesting that Homan was making his own laws.
However, after the recent federal judge’s ruling, individuals with deportation orders will be expected to cooperate with ICE agents rather than create additional barriers, effectively placing the responsibility for compliance on them. Subsequently, following AOC’s advice could make them willfully non-compliant.
“Game’s over. We’re going to look for these public safety threats, and we’re going to take them off those streets in New York and every other sanctuary city,” he said.
