ICE acting director warns California politicians over “sanctuary state” law, says they “better HOLD ON tight” as new enforcement efforts are coming

The acting head of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency is verbally slapping down the far-Left Democrats running corrupt California: A wave of federal immigration officers are coming to enforce federal immigration law, despite the Golden State’s new “sanctuary” law.

In an appearance on Fox Business, Acting ICE Director Thomas Homan, who is on track to become the agency’s regular chief, warned California officials and Gov. Jerry Brown, saying they “better hold on tight” as he prepared to double the number of federal immigration agents currently in the state.

Hitting California’s new “sanctuary state” law, signed by Brown earlier this fall, Homan said it is endangering the lives of citizens and is being criticized by most rank-and-file police officers.

“I think it’s terrible,” Homan told host Neil Cavuto, adding that Brown and Democrats were very obviously putting Left-wing politics ahead of public safety and law enforcement.

He added that rank-and-file cops were opposed to the new measure and that Brown’s administration arrogantly refused to consult with officers before the governor signed the legislation.

“If [Brown] thinks he is protecting the community, he’s doing quite the opposite,” said Homan, Rather, the governor “is knowing putting law enforcement at risk,” as well as California residents in general.

Then he warned, “There’s no sanctuary from law enforcement. California better hold on tight — they’re about to see a lot more deportation officers.

“If politicians don’t protect their communities, then ICE will,” he added.

In a separate Fox News broadcast, host Tucker Carlson said that the new law forbids state and local police from inquiring about a person’s immigration status. He said the legislation also has provisions for schools as well.

“Illegal aliens are now a protected class,” said Carlson Tuesday evening. He compared Brown’s actions to those of former Alabama Gov. George Wallace in the 1960s, a Democrat whose forced segregation of public schools led then-President John F. Kennedy to dispatch the National Guard and forcefully reintegrate them.

Carlson was interviewing California State Assemblyman Travis Allen, a Republican who is running for governor against a gaggle of Democrats. Allen says he believes U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions should take Brown and the state to court over the new law.

“Absolutely there is [a showdown coming],” he told Carlson. “It’s a bluff. It’s up to President Trump and Jeff Sessions to step up and call the bluff.” He added most of California is against the law and not nearly as liberal as the rest of the country believes.

“We truly need Washington to hear this message,” said Allen. “Come to California. Sue California.”

That wouldn’t be unprecedented, mind you. The Obama administration regularly sued states that attempted to toughen immigration laws. That included filing suit against the state of Arizona after lawmakers there passed legislation that mirrored federal immigration enforcement statutes. The Obama administration largely won, with the Supreme Court ruling that immigration laws and enforcement fall strictly within the federal government’s responsibility. (Related: DoJ to ‘sanctuary’ cities: This is your final warning.)

“The National Government has significant power to regulate immigration,” Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote in the majority opinion. “Arizona may have understandable frustrations with the problems caused by illegal immigration while that process continues, but the State may not pursue policies that undermine federal law.”

That’s exactly right, Allen and Homan agree.

Noting that illegal alien smuggling rings will now use California’s law as a selling point, the ICE acting director said that Brown and the Democrat-run legislature “bit off a lot more” than they bargained for.

Homan also said that Brown and other state officials are likely in violation of federal statutes, specifically 8 U.S. Code § 1324, which relates to “harboring certain aliens.” He said he hopes that the Trump Justice Department will look into whether state officials can be criminally charged under federal law.

J.D. Heyes is editor of The National Sentinel and a senior writer for Natural News and News Target.

Sources include:

FoxNews.com

TheNationalSentinel.com