Speaking in Sacramento Wednesday, Attorney General Jeff Sessions called out California lawmakers for protecting illegal aliens.
Partial transcript via the Daily Caller.
“California, we have a problem,” he said while discussing the Justice Department’s newly launched lawsuit against California. “A series of actions and events has occurred here that directly and adversely impacts the work of our federal officers.”
“For example, the mayor of Oakland has actively — has actively been seeking to help illegal aliens aboard the prehension by I.C.E. And those who take the law and illegality. There’s no way to understand those remarks. The lieutenant governor of the state praised her for doing so. Bragging about and encouraging the obstruction of our law enforcement and I am afraid that this is an embarrassment to the proud state of California.”
“Here’s my message — how dare you. How dare you needlessly endanger the lives of our law enforcement officers to promote a radical, open borders agenda.”
On Tuesday, the Justice Department sued the state of California over laws protecting illegal aliens from being detained by ICE.
NBC News reports:
The lawsuit, which also names Gov. Jerry Brown and California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, challenges three recently passed state laws that the Trump administration says hinder enforcement of federal immigration law and endanger federal agents. […]
“The Department of Justice and the Trump administration are going to fight these unjust, unfair, and unconstitutional policies that have been imposed on you,” Sessions said in remarks prepared for delivery to the law enforcement convention.
News of the announcement follows the Justice Department issuing a “final warning,” to various sanctuary cities around the country.
Cook County, Illinois, Chicago, Illinois, New Orleans, Louisiana, New York, New York and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania are on the Justice Department’s hit list for failing to enforce federal immigration laws.
The cities had until October 27th to provide additional evidence that the interpretation and application of their laws, policies, or practices comply with the statute.