Federal Investigation Opened into Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for Alleged Aiding and Abetting
New York Democrat Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez might be facing significant legal issues.
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem told Fox News host Sean Hannity on Monday that it would be "entirely appropriate" for the Department of Justice to investigate the Democrat-Socialist representative for a webinar she conducted, where she advised undocumented immigrants on how to act if confronted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
This development followed the representative's challenge to Border Czar Tom Homan to "come" for her.
"Tom Homan said he was going to refer me to DOJ because I’m using my free speech rights in order to advise people of their constitutional protections. To that I say: Come for me. Do I look like I care?" she stated at her town hall in Jackson Heights, Queens.
When questioned about Rep. Ocasio-Cortez’s remarks, Noem suggested that the Department of Justice should investigate her actions.
"I think the Department of Justice absolutely should look into this situation," she said. "We’ve seen not just those that serve in public office be willing to break the law to facilitate the invasion that has happened and allow criminals to stay here. We’ve also seen judges take radical action to help protect these criminals. It’s time that we stand for what’s right."
"The American people are sick of these people abusing our system to try to promote an agenda. Remember, the Democrats are using fear to control people. They’re out there motivating people by fear, and they’re standing alongside known terrorists in order to endanger our future," the Homeland Security chief added.
"So I think it’s entirely appropriate that the Department of Justice look into these situations," she concluded.
On February 12, Ocasio-Cortez garnered attention when she hosted a webinar titled "Know Your Rights With ICE."
"We see how ICE often uses rhetoric to criminalize immigrants, to normalize their tactics and justify what they’re doing," she said, describing the encounters as "often very aggressive."
On her website, Ocasio-Cortez also featured a flyer informing undocumented immigrants about "their rights."
It stated, "You do not have to open the door" for Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers.
It also advised that ICE agents cannot enter someone's home without a valid warrant signed by a judge. The poster instructed, "Ask them to put the warrant under the door."
Her office also assists undocumented immigrants in obtaining free legal aid to prevent deportation.
During an interview with Sean Hannity on Fox News, Homan stated that he had referred Ocasio-Cortez to the deputy attorney general for investigation.
"She wants to say that she knows how to teach people their constitutional rights." The border chief said, "Yeah, you can call it that."
"Everyone knows what she’s doing." She wants to teach these people how to avoid being caught by police or ICE. We are still looking for child predators in New York and her district. Some of the people she wants to teach about constitutional rights are people who have been convicted of rape or child sex crimes, Homan said.
"We’re trying to follow the laws that Congress made." It’s possible that they have more important things to do than write laws that they don’t want to be enforced, but as a member of Congress, you’d think she’d want ICE to enforce the laws that she helped write and for which she gave us money. That’s what we’re trying to do, but she’s making it harder and more dangerous, he said.
Hannity suggested it was likely the representative’s case for free speech, but he asked, "When does it cross the line into helping someone break the law?"
"That’s the exact question I asked the Deputy Attorney General." He was asked to look into it. "I said, “You know, I’ve seen someone step in front of you and between you and the person you’re pulling over or beating,” Homan said.
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