Border czar Homan shrugs off Ocasio-Cortez's ICE arrest warning, tells her 'you can't intimidate me'
Border czar Tom Homan brushed aside a warning Thursday from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., over the possible arrest of Democratic lawmakers for an ICE protest clash.
Three New Jersey Democratic members of Congress – Reps. Bonnie Watson Coleman, Robert Menendez and LaMonica McIver – were accused of storming a Newark ICE facility on Friday, along with Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, who was arrested and charged with trespassing.
While the Department of Homeland Security is considering arresting the Democratic lawmakers, Ocasio-Cortez warned against there being any consequences for them.
In a video published on Instagram Saturday, she said, "You lay a finger on someone – on Bonnie Watson Coleman or any of the representatives that were there – you lay a finger on them, we're going to have a problem."
"If anyone's breaking the law in this situation, it's not members of Congress. It's the Department of Homeland Security. It's people like Tom Homan and Secretary Kristi Noem," Ocasio-Cortez added.
Homan was asked about the video during an interview with CNN's Jake Tapper on Thursday, where he brushed off her comments.
"First of all, you can't intimidate me. Come on. Give me a break," Homan replied.
"I was wearing a green uniform, Border Patrol agent for five years before she was even born. I had more than three decades enforcing immigration law before she became a member of Congress," he said. "I worked for six presidents. I've seen policies. I've seen hundreds of policies. Some worked, some didn't. But you can't deny the success of the Trump administration when it comes to border security. Again, the most secure border in the history of this nation."
The border czar then made a distinction between disliking ICE and refusing to cooperate with them.
"I've said from day one, and she knows this: You can not support ICE. Shame on you. You can support sanctuary cities. Shame on you. But you can't cross the line," he said. "You can't knowingly impede ICE law enforcement officers. That is a felony. You can't harbor and conceal, knowingly harbor and conceal illegal aliens from ICE. That is a felony. And you certainly can't commit criminal trespass."
Homan then slammed Ocasio-Cortez, arguing the Trump administration serves her constituents better than she does.
"You know, and as far as New York, her district, this administration has done more to protect her district than she has," he argued. "The number of criminal aliens we took off the streets of New York made her community much safer. She ought to be thanking the members of this administration, the men and women of ICE, who protect this country and make her community safer."
He concluded, "So, you know, it's politics over public safety. It's just ridiculous. She ought to love her community more than she hates Trump, because we're doing a lot to protect her community."
Homan has brushed off AOC's criticism before, saying, "I wish she'd do her job. She's a legislator, right? Why doesn't she pass some legislation… and actually improve this country like President Donald Trump is already doing?"
They have also clashed over the New York congresswoman teaching illegal immigrants how to "evade" ICE raids.
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