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U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions will make a "major sanctuary jurisdiction" announcement in Sacramento on Wednesday, his office announced. By Tuesday evening, Associated Press reported the Trump administration was suing California to block cooperation with immigration authorities.
Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf issued a statement Tuesday afternoon in which she said, "Oakland is a city of immigrants. We will continue to exercise our legal right to exist as a sanctuary city. We will continue to inform all residents about their Constitutional rights, and we will continue to support California’s sanctuary status."
She continued that the City of Oakland would continue to distinguish between law-abiding residents and "dangerous criminals," adding, "This administration has tried to portray all immigrants as villains. We know that is a racist lie, and we will shed light on that myth every day."
Sessions will speak at the 26th annual Law Enforcement Legislative Day, hosted by the California Peace Officers' Association. The event will be streamed here. CPOA Executive Director Carol Leveroni told KTVU that she was "excited" for the visit, adding that she hoped Sessions clarifies the seemingly conflicting state and federal jurisdictions as they regard to cooperating with, as well as detaining and deporting undocumented immigrants.
The CPOA has publicly opposed Senate Bill 54, which Governor Jerry Brown signed into law last year making California a sanctuary state. The law limits whom state and local law enforcement agencies can hold, question and transfer at the request of federal immigration officials.
Sessions did not preview what his announcement will entail.
Last week, Mayor Schaaf warned the public about a pending ICE operation, telling immigrants that they don't have to open their doors for federal immigration agents if they don't have a warrant. Her move was praised and criticized and drew the specific attention of Acting ICE Director Thomas D. Homan, who went on Fox & Friends, saying that he was looking into whether she obstructed justice. Homan has been clear about his agency's role in deporting undocumented immigrants and has said repeatedly that many "noncriminals" will end up being deported as "collateral" damage when sanctuary cities don't assist federal agents by alerting ICE with special detainers at jails.
Meanwhile, Schaaf has staunchly defended her position, saying she would go to jail to defend her city's sanctuary city policies, which are legal and limit the cooperation of the Oakland police department and ICE.