Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf has stood
resolute in the face of criticism from Trump
and ICE following her Feb. 24 warning
to Bay Area immigrants.

OAKLAND
The top U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement official says three undocumented immigrants, which they believe evaded apprehension because Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf‘s public warning of a raids last month, were arrested recently for violent crimes.

Acting ICE Director Tom Homan laid the blame on Schaaf. “We are told on one hand to focus efforts on criminals but those same folks who want to focus on criminals don’t let us into the county jails. It just defies logic,” he said Tuesday at a White House roundtable attended by President Donald Trump.

All three were Mexican nationals with prior records, according to various news reports, and arrested for additional crimes that include robbery, gun crimes, DUI, drug possession, and battery of a spouse.

One of the individuals re-arrested was previously in custody and was sought by ICE in November through a detainer request.

In an interview with reporters Wednesday, Schaaf said news of the arrests were “distraction from a broken immigration policy” and questioned the integrity of ICE.

Schaaf on Feb. 24 announced that a large-scale raid by ICE agents was imminent, and warning a worried community of immigrants and minority groups. The announcement proved correct when a federal immigration sweep resulted in 232 arrests in Northern California, although largely absent in the Greater East Bay.

However, Homan claimed Schaaf’s actions allowed 800 undocumented immigration to avoid arrests, saying it was akin to a “gang lockout.” Trump also blasted Schaaf and other cities like Oakland that support sanctuary city policies.

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