By S.A. McCarthy
The Washington Stand
After years of accusing former President Donald Trump of “insurrection,” Democrats speaking out against the president-elect’s deportation plans are now being treated to a taste of their own medicine. A coalition of Democratic governors and mayors has formed over the past several weeks, calling for opposition to Trump’s much-anticipated mass deportation program.
The latest name on the list is Michael O’Connor, mayor of Frederick, Maryland. In a press conference last week, O’Connor announced that municipal funds would be diverted to pay for lawyers and legal services for immigrants who are in the country illegally. He said that he wants to ensure that illegal immigrants “have the legal support they need to stand strong and remain in this community they have chosen to call home.”
According to WBFF Fox 45, Frederick residents reacted negatively to O’Connor’s proposal. “I’d rather our taxpayer money go towards American citizens,” one resident said. Another commented, “You break the law, it’s just what happens. Nobody helped me pay for my attorney fees when I [broke] the law. So, why should we be paying for theirs out of taxpayer money?” And another said, “Taxpayer money should be going towards infrastructure and the basic needs of the community. This is not a basic need of a community of Frederick.”
O’Connor also vowed that he would not authorize Frederick law enforcement officials to assist in deportations. Many Democrats have made similar statements. Governors Maura Healy (D-Mass.), Katie Hobbs (D-Ariz.), Gavin Newsom (D-Calif.), Jared Polis (D-Colo.), and J.B. Pritzker (D-Ill.) have vowed to oppose the mass deportation of illegal immigrants. They have been joined by mayors Brandon Johnson (D) of Chicago, Mike Johnston (D) of Denver, Regina Romero (D) of Tucson, Michelle Wu (D) of Boston, Los Angeles City Councilman Hugo Soto-Martínez (D), and other local officials.
When Denver’s mayor urged residents of his city to protest and shared that he would be willing to go to jail to resist deportations, Trump’s designated “border czar,” former acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) director Tom Homan, quipped, “Me and the Denver mayor, we agree on one thing: he’s willing to go to jail, I’m willing to put him in jail.” Homan, who will be in charge of organizing and executing mass deportations, added, “If he doesn’t want to help, that’s fine. He can get the hell out of the way. But we’re gonna go do the job. President Trump has a mandate from the American people, we’ve gotta secure this country, we’ve gotta save American lives.”
Homan has warned Democrats that obstructing mass deportations is “absolutely breaking the law” and is in fact “a felony.” He told Democrats that they don’t have to “help” with deportations, but added, “That’s fine. You should get the hell out of the way. We’re going to do the job.” The incoming border czar noted the drastic rise in violent crime, sex trafficking, and child sexual abuse linked to illegal immigration, commenting, “I can’t believe there’s any elected official that doesn’t want public safety threats out of their communities. Their number one responsibility is protecting the communities. So if they’re not going to do it, we’ll do it for them.” He reiterated, “You cannot help, but don’t impede us and don’t knowingly harbor and conceal an illegal alien from ICE, because that is a felony.”
Prominent conservatives have subsequently accused the Democrats pledging to combat deportations of “insurrection.” Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich said, referring to the comments made by Denver’s mayor, “The mayor of Denver doesn’t seem to understand that the United States Army settled the question of states, counties and cities defying the federal government in a meeting at Appomattox in 1865 when General Lee surrendered.” He continued, “Denver attempting to block the federal government detention and deportation of illegal aliens would be an act of insurrection and would be immediately crushed by the federal government.”
Renowned author, historian, and political commentator Victor Davis Hanson also believes that efforts to halt mass deportations constitute “insurrection.” Referring to the Civil War, he explained, “That is exactly what South Carolina did in 1832.” Hanson also suggested that Trump rapidly strip cities and states resisting deportation efforts of federal funding until they comply. “The irony is that the only way that the city of Denver can feed and house these immigrants is to get federal funds,” Hanson said. He continued, “Here’s what’s going to happen. You’re not going to get one penny of federal funds to house your immigrants, and if you continue to do it each week, we’re going to have another federal program you’re not going to get. Because you don’t like the federal government.” Hanson quipped, “Just keep going and tell me when you want to stop.”
While incumbent President Joe Biden and his own “border czar,” Vice President Kamala Harris, have largely been faulted for the illegal immigrant crisis that Trump’s deportation program is meant to address, ICE has begun carrying out more deportations ahead of Trump’s inauguration. According to recently-released data, ICE deported 1,000 more illegal immigrants in the third quarter of the 2024 fiscal year than in the previous quarter, and deported nearly twice as many illegals as it did this time last year. Overall, ICE has deported nearly 60,000 more illegal immigrants in the first three quarters of 2024 than it did over the entirety of 2023.
Originally published at The Washington Stand!
