January 1, ICE Targets Sanctuary Cities After Labor Day

Wyatt’s Take

• ICE is increasing operations in sanctuary cities like Seattle and Portland.
• Texas and Florida work with ICE, but other cities refuse to cooperate.
• Federal agents say public safety is at risk when cities release dangerous individuals.

Tom Homan, known as the border czar, announced that Immigration and Customs Enforcement will step up actions in certain cities after Labor Day. Seattle and Portland are on that list due to their sanctuary city policies.

“You’re going to see a ramp up of operations in New York. You’re going to see a ramp up of operations continue in L.A. and, you know, Portland, Seattle,” Homan told reporters. “I mean, all these sanctuary cities refuse to work with ICE … we’re going to address that.”

He said Texas and Florida do not have these issues. “We don’t have that problem in Texas and Florida, where all the sheriffs are working with us, and they’re actually holding people for us and letting us know when someone’s being released,” Homan shared. “So, we’re going to take the assets we have and move them to problem areas like sanctuary cities, where we know for a fact they’re releasing public safety threat illegal aliens to the streets every day.”

After visiting Portland, Homan noted the city is staying a sanctuary regardless. “I was in San Diego and Portland in the last week meeting with the men and women of ICE to understand the hate that’s being pushed against them and letting them know the President has their six,” he said. “I have their six.”

Seattle city leaders pushed back, saying they won’t be pressured by the federal government. “Seattle will not be intimidated by the Trump administration’s threats. Suggesting that federal immigration raids or deployments of federal agents could soon target our city is not about public safety – it’s about political theater and an overreach of federal authority,” one spokesperson stated. “Seattle is a welcoming city, and our policies comply with both federal and state law. Immigration enforcement is the federal government’s responsibility, not the city’s, and we will not allow our police resources to be commandeered for political purposes.”

Homan argued that ICE operations are about protecting Americans. “I look at the numbers every morning,” he said. “There’s about 22 pages of data; 70% of everybody arrested is a criminal,” Homan stated. “But the left says, ‘Well, not criminal enough. It’s just a DUI.’ DUIs kill over 10,000 people a year. That’s a public safety threat. I don’t care what anybody thinks.”

He added that the rest include people with national security ties. “We arrested thousands of national security threats. Many of them don’t have a criminal history because their whole goal is to lay low ‘til they do their dirty deed. Gang members. A lot of gang members don’t have a criminal history.”

He also said final deportation orders will be enforced. “And finally, final deportation orders. People who had due process at great taxpayer expense. They were ordered removed by a federal judge, and they didn’t leave. And we’re looking for them, too, because we’re sending a message to the whole world. It’s not okay to enter this country illegally. It’s a crime.”

The debate continues as cities and the federal government each stand their ground.

Wyatt Matters

Many in Middle America believe every community deserves to be safe. When local officials block cooperation with federal law, it can leave families vulnerable. These actions highlight why secure borders and respect for the rule of law matter to everyone who calls this country home.

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