January 17, 2018

OAKLAND (CBS SF) — The Oakland City Council voted unanimously late Tuesday night to end any cooperation with agents from the Immigration and Customs Enforcement division amid reports the feds were planning to launch a series of major Bay Area raids.

City Councilwoman Rebecca Kaplan introduced the legislation to clarify that Oakland’s police department is to not collude with ICE including providing traffic support.

The measure came after a firestorm of controversy over Oakland police’s role in an August 2017 raid where a person was detained and now faces deportation. Despite Oakland being a sanctuary city, OPD officers provided traffic support for ICE agents executing the raid.

“It is NOT acceptable for the Oakland administration to collude with ICE, as this Federal agency is targeting non-criminals, harassing people based on their national origin, and undermining our justice system,” Kaplan said. “The head of ICE under Trump has publicly stated that his intention is to strike fear into communities, and now he is targeting California and cities like Oakland.”

Kaplan reacted to comments made by Acting ICE Director Thomas Homan to Fox News.

He said that “California better hold on tight” adding that if California lawmakers don’t want to protect their communities, then ICE will.”

In its Wednesday morning editions, the San Francisco Chronicle quoted a source that ICE was preparing to launch a series of raids in San Francisco and other Bay Area communities that would arrest more than 1,500 undocumented immigrants.

“Trump’s head of ICE issued a threat against public officials who oppose the targeting of immigrants, and also threatened the safety of the public, directing that more ICE agents enter California communities, arrest people in public spaces, and target people based on national origin rather than focusing on serious crimes,” the Oakland councilwoman said.

“This behavior is entirely inappropriate for someone running a law enforcement agency, as it perpetuates racial prejudice, and weakens the community-police relations that are vital to stopping serious crime.”

“I continue to stand opposed to such actions, and will continue to denounce, and refuse to collude in, Trump’s racist agenda. I call upon the Oakland Administration to ensure that there will be no further collusion with ICE, and to retract their prior statements in support of the conduct of ICE in our community.”


http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/201...for-ice-raids/