Now, I wasn’t the only sheriff to do that. Sheriff Youngblood did, Sheriff Christianson. And it was perfect — because we didn’t have to take our time, with our staff, to do anything. ICE was in there doing their work in a safe, controlled, environment. And then, the initiatives started happening — the TRUST Act, the TRUTH Act, and finally, SB 54, the Values Act. And that is causing us all kinds of turmoil.
So here we are, stuck in the middle, trying to decide. We have federal law, we have state law. And that’s why I welcomed Attorney General Sessions’s lawsuit, because that will provide us the clarity that we need and direction that we need. What do we do? Because here we are.
And I appreciated Mr. Homan and ICE. We had a great relationship; we still do. But now ICE is the only law enforcement agency that cannot use our databases to find the bad guys. They cannot come in and talk to people in our jail, unless they reach a certain threshold. They can’t do all kinds of things that other law enforcement agencies can do. And it’s really put us in a very bad position.
THE PRESIDENT: It’s a disgrace. Okay? It’s a disgrace.
SHERIFF MIMS: It’s a disgrace.
THE PRESIDENT: And we’re suing on that, and we’re working hard, and I think it will all come together, because people want it to come together. It’s so ridiculous. The concept that we’re even talking about is ridiculous. We’ll take care of it, Margaret. We’ll win.
SHERIFF MIMS: Thank you. There could be an MS-13 member I know about — if they don’t reach a certain threshold, I cannot tell ICE about it.
THE PRESIDENT: We have people coming into the country, or trying to come in — and we’re stopping a lot of them — but we’re taking people out of the country. You wouldn’t believe how bad these people are. These aren’t people. These are animals. And we’re taking them out of the country at a level and at a rate that’s never happened before. And because of the weak laws, they come in fast, we get them, we release them, we get them again, we bring them out. It’s crazy.
The dumbest laws — as I said before, the dumbest laws on immigration in the world. So we’re going to take care of it, Margaret. We’ll get it done. We’re going to ask that man right there, because that man can do it. (Laughter.) Right now he’s the most important man in the room. Kevin can do it.
Kevin? Please.
MAJORITY LEADER MCCARTHY: Well, first of all, I want to thank all of you, because most people around the country do not realize how your hands are tied behind your back. The only thing you want to do is to have safe streets, safe neighborhoods, and protect your communities. And for California legislature to go against the Constitution — one of the greatest strengths of this nation, and we’re fortunate to be in this room, is the rule of law. They are breaking down society by breaking down the rule of law; that you have a known criminal that you can’t communicate with ICE about.
We know how bad this is. But from one aspect, we should be excited because we have a new President that understands this problem. Since he has taken office, we have lowered the illegal crossings across this border. That stops gang members from coming across. He has started building the wall — $1.6 billion. And you know where that wall is starting to be built? In California. He has pushed a number of bills through — one, to try to stop sanctuary cities; to reward those who uphold the Constitution. Second, to stop the MS-13 gang members. And you know what’s interesting, after you moved that bill? A Governor of New York, Mr. Cuomo, who thought that wasn’t a problem, I saw him sign one similar just the other day because he watched what was happening, as well.
So, collectively, it was city councils and sheriffs — city council is not your full-time job, but you listened to your community, you saw the problem that was going on. So things are improving, and that’s why I’m so thankful for this President to call us together, because collectively we’ll be stronger. The Secretary is doing an amazing job. I’ll tell you, the number of times we meet or call at all hours of night, trying to make sure she can protect it. The Attorney General just talked to me last night, around 10 o’clock.
And so, from that perspective, we are in this together, but we are in it for the Constitution. We’re in it for the security and the safety of our streets, and I thank you for leading the charge.
THE PRESIDENT: Well, we want to thank you, Kevin. You have done an incredible job. You’re sort of going against the tide, but now the tide is sort of with us because you see it in the room. I mean, a year ago, two years ago, this would have been unthinkable to have you all in the room talking the way we’re talking. But you’re fed up with what’s happening.
And, Kevin, thank you very much. You’re doing really great
Stacey.
MONTGOMERY: Thank you very much. I just want to say thank you for your leadership in your office and on this issue. I am delighted and privileged to be here. And it is so wonderful to be here among all of you as well, because you’re all on the frontlines in your own communities fighting this fight.
I was born and raised in California, been an attorney there for 24 years. Got my start in the law when Three Strikes was starting out in California, and developed a real passion for prosecution. I was the appointed district attorney, and I’ve been the elected district attorney now for four years. And in the last four years, I have seen California become a disaster. It’s been tragic to watch my state pass laws that basically have sent our communities into a very dangerous place.
In Lassen County, we’re a very small community. But I’m pleased to say, when you’re talking about voting, that you have supporters in California. Lassen County voted overwhelmingly for you in California. I believe we had the highest margin in all the 58 counties in California. You are loved in Lassen County.
And I believe that, to a certain extent, we are sort of a forgotten part of California. We are rural California, and we do not stand for the policies in Sacramento. We have a horrible problem in our public lands, in our forests. We’ve got illegals, marijuana — excuse me, drug cartels that have come up to grow on our public lands and in our forests, and they are decimating it. They are killing wildlife.
THE PRESIDENT: And you can’t really do anything about it.
MONTGOMERY: There’s not a thing we can do. We work with the Department of Fish and Wildlife, who file charges that do the best that they can. But these people are coming into our forests, they’re endangering our citizens. They are armed. They’re setting up camps, and they’re growing mass amounts of marijuana on our public lands. They are killing wildlife. They’re diverting streams. The damage that they’re causing, both to the economy and to our public lands, is going to be generational. A large portion of these people that are coming in to do this are illegal immigrants.
Because of the legalization of marijuana in California, now we’re seeing those same individuals working with other criminal groups — the Asian groups, the Russian groups, the motorcycle groups, all kinds of organized crime. It’s bringing into rural —
THE PRESIDENT: So legalization made it worse?
MONTGOMERY: The legalization made it worse. Yes. I believe the legalization made it worse. I’ve been appalled, as a district attorney, someone who’s sworn to uphold the Constitution and the laws of the state, that we have fallen so far in California.
We also have other issues. We are prosecuting an illegal immigrant right now who has been deported several times and has had a violent criminal history, who hit and killed a 16-year-old kid — a boy in our community — and fled the scene. So his case is pending right now. After I brought the suit, I was promptly served with a gag order to prevent me from talking about the case. It’s been very frustrating.
Also, I have received correspondence — and I know that every DA’s office in California has received correspondence from the ACLU and their affiliate organizations, pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act and the California Public Information Act wanting to know what policies — “We want to see what policies your office is implementing. What have you done to ensure compliance with SB 54?”
Well, the response from my office was very simple: We have nothing. Because this office will stand for the rule of law. Lassen County stands for the rule of law. And we have no policies to give you because we will not issue such policies from this desk and from this office.
THE PRESIDENT: Yeah. Good job.
MONTGOMERY: We stand with you. We are delighted with the actions that you have taken, Mr. Sessions. The people of Lassen County stand with you, I stand with you, and we appreciate everything that you’re doing.
THE PRESIDENT: Yep. Thank you, Stacey.
MONTGOMERY: You’re welcome.
THE PRESIDENT: Beautifully said. Thank you very much.
Tom?
HOMAN: First of all, Mr. President, I want to thank you for having this meeting today — this roundtable. We appreciate your leadership on this issue. The Secretary, I appreciate your leadership and how you support law enforcement and the rule of law. And the AG, I can’t say enough good things about what you’ve done for law enforcement.
You know, I hear a lot of things today about sanctuary cities and the wall. I’m not the smartest guy at this table by any means, but in sanctuary cities. they want to take the Attorney General on to get their funding. Even though they violate federal law to keep criminal aliens in, they don’t want a wall to keep them out. To me, that’s just backwards.
And I want to talk — I just want to spend a minute to say — separating fact from fiction, please. I hope the American people can understand the fight about sanctuary cities. And I appreciate the American patriots in this room that have joined this fight, which is the good fight, it’s the right fight.
The intentional mis-messaging of sanctuary cities and what they do — I hear, “They protect the immigrant communities.” And they don’t. It’s the complete opposite. When you release a criminal alien from a jail, they’re going to go to the very communities in which they live and reoffend. Anybody can Google recidivism rates. Over half reoffend the first year against the very immigrant communities in which they live. So you’re not protecting the immigrant community. You’re putting them at greater risk of crime.
And when you force an ICE agent, where he can take someone — the custody of somebody in the safety and security of a county jail and force them into neighborhoods, you put our officers at risk. You’re already putting the public at risk. And we’re going to find others who weren’t even on our radar. So you put the community at greater risk of crime, you put them at greater risk of ICE arrest, and you put the heroes — the law enforcement officers — at great risk.
This is National Police Week, as said earlier. And I want to talk about the messaging — the mis-messaging from some of these groups and some of these politicians about what ICE does. When you read that sanctuary cities protect the immigrant communities, but also, we don’t want to be commandeered, we don’t have the ICE agents — we have never asked anybody to be an ICE agent. We don’t want any law enforcement officer to be an ICE agent. What we want is access to a county jail to talk to somebody that we know is here illegally, in violation of federal law, that committed yet another crime. You can’t tell ICE to prioritize criminal aliens and not give me access to the jail. It just don’t make sense.
And the final point I want to make in defense of the brave men and women of the Border Patrol and ICE: I’m sick and tired of the constant vilification of these men and women who leave their home every day and strap a gun to their hip; leave the safety and security of their families to defend this nation and to defend their neighborhoods.
When you have a congressman standing in front of the ICE office in New York City and call us the Gestapo, comparing what we do to war crimes. When you got a congressman who said, quote, “The cowardly acts of ICE officers that terrorize innocent immigrant communities.” ICE does more to protect the immigrant than any politician ever has done. We arrested several hundred-thousand criminals removed from the streets.
For all these people who want to keep vilifying the men and women who took a sworn oath, who are enforcing laws enacted by you, Congress, the next time you think about vilifying the men and women of ICE, I want you to do what I did this week. I want you to go to our National Law Enforcement wall, I want you to walk that wall, and read the names on that wall: over 400 Border Patrol agents and ICE officers whose hearts stopped beating defending this nation. It’s a dishonor to these men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice to vilify the men and women that carry the badge and gun. So think twice before you do it.
And as far as the hate that I take for defending the men and women of ICE and the Border Patrol, that will stop the day my heart stops to beat. And it won’t end. And even though I may be retiring soon, this fight doesn’t end with me. I will stay engaged, and I will keep fighting for you, sir. So thank you very much.
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much.
HOMAN: I’ve worked for six Presidents, and I respect them all. But no President has done more than you for border security and for law enforcement. I think every law enforcement officer at this table would agree with me.
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much. No, that’s very nice. That’s a great compliment, believe me — because you have, indeed, worked for six. And all six respected you greatly. None more than me. Thank you very much. I just wish you could have said that to the press, but — (laughter) — here’s the good news: You have such a beautiful, full head of hair, you look good even from that angle. (Laughter.)
I appreciate it, Tom. That’s really nice. Thank you very much.
Elaine?
MAYOR GENNAWEY: Good afternoon, Mr. President. And thank you for inviting us here to share our thoughts with you. I’m Elaine Gennawey, Mayor of the city of Laguna Niguel in Orange County, California. And so, really appreciate the opportunity to let you know what our residents are feeling.
But first, I’d like to ask Director Homan, please let the men and women of ICE know that they have our gratitude and our deep, deep appreciation for what they do.
HOMAN: Thank you.
MAYOR GENNAWEY: But, you know, Laguna Niguel took a stance against SB 54 because that is the greatest threat to the safety of all of California residents — all of our residents, all of our communities. And that includes our immigrant communities. The siloing or preventing law enforcement agencies from talking to each other is a threat to our agents and to the communities. And our country learned a very tragic lesson on September 11th — and that’s what happens when law enforcement does not communicate.
So isn’t it ironic that in an age of calls for increased transparency, that the California legislature wants to prevent that. So we think that all of our residents deserve to live in a safe community. And also, Mr. President, there is an area where we need your assistance with. We will support you on preventing SB 54 and upholding what ICE does, but in California we need your help with sober living homes. Orange County has become known as the “Rehab Riviera.” So H.R. 5724 is just being introduced, and we would appreciate help with that, because local control is being attacked from Sacramento every single day, and this is one other issue.
THE PRESIDENT: We’ll take a look. We’ll take a look. I’ll take a look on that. Thank you very much.
MAYOR GENNAWEY: Okay, thank you. Appreciate that.
THE PRESIDENT: Steve Miller, would you like to say something?
MILLER: Just what an honor it is to be able to work for a President who has the backs of our law enforcement officers. Everything you’re doing every day is saving so many lives all across this country, and it’s just an endless honor to be a part of it, and even in any a small way. So thank you, sir.
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you, Stephen. That’s great. A great job you do, too.
GASPAR: Good afternoon, Mr. President. It’s an honor to be here. I’m Kristin Gaspar representing the largest county here today, San Diego County. I have 3.5 million constituents that I’m responsible for their public safety. If you look around this room, your tiny but mighty team, this is what Governor Brown classifies as low-life politicians. Well, here we are.
You’ve heard about the problems. You’ve heard about the statistics. And I could have thought of a million things to say to you. I have a stack of 3,000 emails in my office. These are the emails that have come in — thank yous, people supporting what we’re doing. And I have a tiny little stack of less than 50 where people are very upset with what we’re doing in San Diego County.
THE PRESIDENT: How is the wall going? How is the wall? (Laughter.)
GASPAR: It’s going. It’s going.
THE PRESIDENT: We’re getting it built, right?
GASPAR: It is being built.
THE PRESIDENT: They wanted it so badly — San Diego. They wanted it so badly. And I said, you know, if we build it, we will lose a big constituency, because there won’t be anybody saying, “We want the wall.” But we had to build it. So I know they’re very happy about it.
GASPAR: And I’d like to share with you a story, because sometimes humanizing the issue is really important. And a family reached out to me, and I brought with me one single photo on that plane, since the stack of 3,000 emails is a little difficult to carry. But that photo was the last photo taken of 27-year-old Alexander Mazin, who was gunned down by an illegal immigrant who had previously been deported.
Now, as his family picks up the pieces of their lives that have been shattered, his killer lives openly and freely in a Tijuana motel.
Now, it’s really interesting what’s happening in San Diego with our borders, because we’ve created a situation where Governor Brown makes San Diego a great place to commit a crime because you have options. You can either be across the border in a matter of minutes and shielded by Mexico, or you have the option of simply staying put, shielded by Governor Moonbeam. So there are options, but there are real consequences for what’s happening. And my heart just broke talking to Mr. Mazin about his son. And he described his son dying like a filthy rat in a parking lot, while this killer gets to just live freely in Mexico, and being robbed of ever having the opportunity to have grandchildren.
Now, he said something that stuck with me. He said, “You know, my son, he was a true patriot. He was a wonderful human being, an exemplary citizen, lost because of the problem at our border.” So this case, and so many others, these are the faces — this is what we’re fighting for. And we’re all in, because we’re going to fight to protect our public safety, and we are going to speak freely about this issue until we can look back at our own children and guarantee their safety in our community.
Thank you for your advocacy.
THE PRESIDENT: Well, thank you very much. And you find Mexico helps or it does nothing for us?
GASPAR: Mexico does not help with cases like this because it will take years —
THE PRESIDENT: Mexico does nothing for us. They do nothing for us.
GASPAR: And this family will —
THE PRESIDENT: Mexico talks, but they do nothing for us, especially at the border. Certainly don’t help us much on trade, but especially at the border, they do nothing for us.
Jeff, thank you very much. Jeff.
ATTORNEY GENERAL SESSIONS: Mr. President, great to be with you. I want you to know that the President has made clear to all of us that we have to do better. We are going to do better in our Department. We’re reviewing everything we’re doing. And we’re going to probably have twice as many prosecutions, add a whole bunch of judges, and do the things that we can to move this agenda forward.
But I want to tell you, in my opinion, having been here and a lot of battles over this issue, this year — Kevin, and I know you and I were talking about it — could be the year — this is the year that we have to move Congress. I’ve always said Congress will pass anything as long as it doesn’t work. (Laughter.) If you come up with a bill that will actually improve our sheriffs’ and our ICE officers’ and Border Patrol officers’ ability to do their job, to deport people who have entered illegally, then they object, and we seem to come up short. This time, let’s not come up short.
We’ve got a leader. He can articulate this message effectively. And if we all get behind our leader, we’ll get something done this year that’s historic.
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you, Jeff. Thank you very much.
SHERIFF GRANGOFF: Mr. President, Ray Grangoff, Deputy with the Orange County Sheriffs Department. And thank you so much for fighting for law enforcement. It’s much appreciated.
You know, for us, as the Mayor said, the biggest issue with SB 54 is not being able to communicate with law enforcement partners. We need to be able to talk. And since 9/11, we have done a great job of opening up the communication at the local, state, and federal level, and addressing our shared threats.
And in communicating with ICE, we were able to address the shared threat of getting criminal offenders off our streets. We had a 287(g) program in Orange County, where we were able to screen all our inmates, and some of those people that we were able to identify were people that weren’t even yet on ICE’s radar because they were just new to the country. And so we were able to put them on ICE’s radar and get them out of here.
One of them that stands out, and it was back in October of 2016, a 21-year-old that was in jail on child molestation charges. We screened that person and we were able to alert ICE, and now that person is serving time and will be out of the country. But that goes away with SB 54, and we’re not able to talk, and that is not a good thing. We need to address the shared threats.
So we will reap these bad policies that have been sown. But the lawsuit and what your administration is doing to fight that is a huge help. So keep it up, and thank you so much.
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you, Sheriff. Thank you very much. I appreciate it.
MAYOR HACKBARTH-MCINTYRE: Hi. Julie Hackbarth-McIntyre, city of Barstow. We sit — we have the longest cul-de-sac. The National Training Center is 27 miles from the city of Barstow.
When we joined the amicus brief, it was — we recognized that — myself and my councilmembers — was that federal law reigns over immigration, not the state. What is happening — in listening around this table of what’s happening in other communities, I haven’t had anything personal from the ICE of illegal immigration yet, but I know it’s coming, because we can’t enforce anything. The crime rate is up in California, and it’s going to continue to rise as long as these policies —
THE PRESIDENT: It’s true.
MAYOR HACKBARTH-MCINTYRE: — are blanketed across California. And they don’t — they’re not talking to the small communities. We talk to our citizens every day. They’re afraid —
THE PRESIDENT: And we have — the crime rate in the nation is way down. But in California, it’s up. Because of the ridiculous laws. Go ahead.
MAYOR HACKBARTH-MCINTYRE: Yes. And I just appreciate, Mr. President, for you here, listening to our concerns, listening to — it’s going to take all of us and I think we’re ready to make the fight to California to say, “Enough is enough. We’re done.” The blanketed policies across California aren’t working. So we need help. I’m glad that you’re making this fight known. We appreciate everyone in your staff, in your administration, helping and pushing through to make sure that our communities are safe.
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much. Appreciate it. Thank you.
MAYOR PRO TEM KUSUMOTO: Mr. President, I’m Warren Kusumoto from the tiny town of Los Alamitos. And we were first, and we were boldest — (laughter and applause) —
PARTICIPANT: Here, here.
MAYOR PRO TEM KUSUMOTO: We’ve done something that no other city has done. We’ve actually passed an ordinance and exposed our city to a lawsuit, as Mayor Edgar said. And in this experience, there’s a silent majority of patriots out there — I’m sorry, I’m getting broken up — that they want this. They want us to do what we’re doing. And that anyone with common sense knows this California Values Act was put in place to protect those that are here breaking the law.
And the message I got from this whole experience is, the citizens of our state and our city feel like they have less rights than the entitled illegal aliens, and the entitled attitude is a thing that really just makes me really unhappy. They feel that they’re entitled to something that we don’t even get. So please, sir, we need your help. We appreciate your leadership.
And because —
THE PRESIDENT: And by the way, you gave us great leadership, too.
MAYOR PRO TEM KUSUMOTO: Thank you, sir.
THE PRESIDENT: Don’t kid yourself. You did a great job.
MAYOR PRO TEM KUSUMOTO: But the state — you know, the double-speak from the politicians in the State of California — the commandeering — they’ve commandeered our police force by tying their hands. And so that’s the double-speak that comes out of the bullies there. We just poked the bully. And I think being the lowlifes that we are, we’re closest to the people. We know what the people want, and we’ve gone forward with that boldly. And I’ve asked other cities to step up and do at least — consider the matter, listen to their constituents, and they’ll know what they’re supposed to do.
Thank you, sir, for having us here.
THE PRESIDENT: Thanks very much. Great job. Thank you.
STEEL: Mr. President, Michelle Steel from Orange County.
THE PRESIDENT: Yes.
STEEL: Thank you very much by inviting us. And I just want to say, as a Korean-American — first generation Korean-American — went through legal process to coming in here, really appreciate for the release of three Korean-Americans from North Korea. So we really appreciate that.
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. We’re very happy about that.
STEEL: At the same time that — for SB 54 — that because of City of Los Alamitos, they have 11,700 people living there, and they had the gutsy move and then Orange County led, as of now, the 9 counties of 58 in California that they passed an ordinance — they passed the ordinances or resolutions to go anti-sanctuary state. And then more than 35 cities as of now.
This is really an interesting experience because I was never called — I married to — you know, Kevin knows my husband, John Steel, who is a national committeeman from California —
THE PRESIDENT: Good. Good. Say hello.
STEEL: This is the first time that I was called — because I was going out for anti-sanctuary state — “a racist big ‘B’.” I mean, on the email that you get this — and I said, “Oh my God, first generation. How desperate that the other side are” — (laughter) — “that being called.”
But I am very, very excited that Orange County actually filed a lawsuit to join Attorney General’s lawsuit. So June 5th, that court is going to decide we can join them — join the federal government or not. If it’s not, then we’re going to file the lawsuit.
THE PRESIDENT: Good
STEEL: So we’re going to work together in Orange County. Most of cities that we came from — Laguna Niguel and San Juan Capistrano — Orange County is all with you. And you know what? People — and I got all these emails; mostly positive. And then, actually, Berkeley study came out where 57 percent are against us — so for sanctuary state — and 41 percent against sanctuary state. I don’t think that polling is really right because whatever we get, we got all mostly positive ones except that person called. Yep.
THE PRESIDENT: Right. Right. Well, you have done a great job, Michelle.
STEEL: Thank you very much.
THE PRESIDENT: We appreciate it. Fantastic job. Sheriff?
SHERIFF CHRISTIANSON: Well, Mr. President, thank you for having us. And first of all, thank you for being a defender of the rule of law, and for your overwhelming support of public safety and standing with the men and women who put their lives on the line every day. That’s just tremendous.
You know, the great part about being last is there’s not much else to say. (Laughter.) So I won’t, in the interest in time and out of respect of your time, I’ll only add one point. And I know this is something that we’ve had conversations with Director Homan and Attorney General Sessions, and that’s the detainer issue. For the sheriffs, that’s a real problem for us. The federal court has said that honoring detainers is a violation of the Fourth Amendment. That puts us in a very precarious position from a point — a liability standpoint.
And we really need to be able to do our jobs without all of the interference that’s going on. And certainly, I’m going to reaffirm Director Homan’s comments. We have an outstanding relationship with ICE. We work very closely with them. Since 9/11, sir, we have an unbelievable partnership with our federal law enforcement agencies. And there shouldn’t be anybody interfering with a sheriff’s ability, a chief’s ability, or anybody in this room at this table today from defending people against those who exploit and victimize them. There should be no interference in our ability to protect our communities, to protect our national security.
I’m privileged to live in the Central Valley, where agriculture is the number-one economic industry — multi-billion dollar industry. We feed the world. ICE is not out sweeping through those agricultural communities. We’re looking for the people, the criminals. Not the people who are working, seeking a better life in America, sent their kids to school, are out every day in agriculture, whether that’s nuts, fruits, poultry, dairy, you name it. That’s not what we’re doing, sir. We’re focused on those individuals who victimize and exploit the weak and defenseless. And we should be able to do that without interference.
Thank you for having us.
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you, Adam. That’s fantastic. I want to thank everybody for being here, very special people. And we are — step by step, we’re bringing it back, and we will bring it back. We will not fail. We’ll bring it back. So thank you very much. Thank you very much. Please. Go ahead. Thank you. Thank you.
END
