Attorney General Jeff Session criticized California lawmakers for what he called a “radical open borders agenda.”
Speaking to the California Peace Officers’ Association in San Diego early Wednesday, Sessions accused California lawmakers — specifically Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf — of “actively seeking to help illegal aliens avoid apprehension” by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers.
“Her actions support those who flout our laws and boldly validate the illegality,” Sessions said, adding, “How dare you. How dare you needlessly endanger the lives of law enforcement just to promote your radical open borders agenda.”
Schaaf, Oakland’s Democratic mayor since 2015, sent out a warning in late February that federal immigration raids were imminent in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Sessions also criticized California Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom for praising Schaaf’s warning.
“Bragging about and encouraging the obstruction of our law enforcement and the law is an embarrassment to this proud and important state,” Sessions said.
Sessions was in San Diego to announce the Department of Justice’s lawsuit against three laws passed by California in 2017 that it says limit federal immigration officers from doing their job.
“Contrary to what you might hear from the lawless open borders radicals, we are not asking California, Oakland, or anyone else to enforce immigration laws,” Sessions said.
Sessions added California is treating immigration officers “differently” for the purpose of “eviscerating border controls and advancing an open borders philosophy shared by only the most radical extremists.”
“Stop protecting lawbreakers and giving all officers more dangerous work to do so that a few politicians can score political points on the backs of officer safety,” Sessions charged.
Tuesday’s lawsuit — filed in Sacramento — represents an escalation of the Trump administration’s push to crack down on illegal immigration.
