Share
News

Former Acting ICE Director Sets AOC Straight: Americans Who Break Law Separated from Children Too

Share

Former acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director Thomas Homan corrected Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York on Friday when she claimed migrants crossing the southern border who make asylum claims are not breaking the law.

Referring to a memo Homan signed, Ocasio-Cortez accused him during a House Oversight Committee hearing of initiating the short-lived “family separation policy” in spring 2018.

Homan countered that he recommended implementing the “zero-tolerance” policy.

“Which includes family separation,” Ocasio-Cortez said.

“The same as it is with every U.S. citizen,” Homan fired back. “Parent [who] gets arrested when they’re with a child.”

Trending:
Prince Harry Named in Major Sex Trafficking Lawsuit Against Rapper

Pausing briefly, Ocasio-Cortez then asserted: “Zero tolerance was interpreted as the policy that separated children from their parents.”

Homan responded that Americans who break the law get separated from their children too.

“If I get arrested for [driving under the influence] and I have a young child in the car, I’m going to be separated,” Homan said. “When I was a police officer in New York, and I arrested a father for domestic violence, I separated that father from his family.”

Do you think Homan got the better of AOC in this exchange?

The congresswoman disputed that migrants crossing the border are guilty of unlawful conduct.

“Mr. Homan, with all due respect, legal asylees are not charged with any crime,” Ocasio-Cortez said.

Homan then cited the specific code.

“When you’re in this country illegally, it’s violation 8, United States Code 1325,” he stated.

“Seeking asylum is legal,” she reasserted.

Related:
AOC Slams Prominent Democratic Strategist Who Complained That 'There Are Too Many Preachy Females' in the Party

“If you want to seek asylum, you go through the port of entry,” Homan said.

“Do it the legal way. The attorney general of the United States has made that clear.”

His response appeared to leave Ocasio-Cortez without much to say, and she submitted the memo into the record before turning her attention to another witness.

The New York Democrat later tweeted, “When Homan says ‘they can come in a port of entry,’ what he doesn’t say is that the admin has practically closed ports to asylees.”

“Out of desperation, families do what Óscar & Valeria (the father & daughter who drowned) did: face dangerous terrain,” she added.

“These are policies of cruelty.”

Fox News contributor and Townhall editor Katie Pavlich thanked Homan for reminding Ocasio-Cortez that “breaking the law has consequences.”

“Thank you Mr. Homan for making this obvious point: When Americans are arrested or put in prison for crimes, they too are separated from their children,” she wrote.

“Breaking the law has consequences. Why the double standard for illegal aliens?”

Truth and Accuracy

Submit a Correction →



We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.

Tags:
, , , , ,
Share
Randy DeSoto has written more than 2,000 articles for The Western Journal since he joined the company in 2015. He is a graduate of West Point and Regent University School of Law. He is the author of the book "We Hold These Truths" and screenwriter of the political documentary "I Want Your Money."
Randy DeSoto is the senior staff writer for The Western Journal. He wrote and was the assistant producer of the documentary film "I Want Your Money" about the perils of Big Government, comparing the presidencies of Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama. Randy is the author of the book "We Hold These Truths," which addresses how leaders have appealed to beliefs found in the Declaration of Independence at defining moments in our nation's history. He has been published in several political sites and newspapers.

Randy graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point with a BS in political science and Regent University School of Law with a juris doctorate.
Birthplace
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Nationality
American
Honors/Awards
Graduated dean's list from West Point
Education
United States Military Academy at West Point, Regent University School of Law
Books Written
We Hold These Truths
Professional Memberships
Virginia and Pennsylvania state bars
Location
Phoenix, Arizona
Languages Spoken
English
Topics of Expertise
Politics, Entertainment, Faith




Conversation