If you’re an illegal alien in San Francisco, it might be a good time to skedaddle.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents are preparing for a major sweep of the city soon as part of an operation to target more than 1,500 illegal aliens in the area, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
“The campaign, centered in the Bay Area, could happen within weeks, and is expected to become the biggest enforcement action of its kind under President Trump, said the source, who requested anonymity because the plans have not been made public,” the Chronicle said.
The operation would go after people who have been identified as targets for deportation, including those who have been served with final deportation orders and those with criminal histories, the source said. The number could tick up if officers come across other undocumented immigrants in the course of their actions and make what are known as collateral arrests.
The sweep would represent the first large-scale effort to target the region since Gov. Jerry Brown in October signed legislation enacting a statewide sanctuary law. Supporters say the law allows undocumented immigrants to cooperate with local police and seek education, health care and other public services without worrying they will expose themselves to possible deportation.
Acting ICE Director Thomas Homan slammed Brown for signing SB54, which he said undermined public safety, and signaled he was prepared to take action.
Just last week, federal agents stormed 20 “birth hotels” in California. Chinese nationals use the so-called birth hotels in order to win citizenship for their children — in most situations, a child born in the United States or one of its territories will automatically receive American citizenship. Women often pay as much as $100,000 to get into one of the hotels.
In the unprecedented federal sting operation, the feds raided 20 locations in Los Angeles, Orange and San Bernardino counties. They were looking for the masterminds of the operations, who make hundreds of thousands of dollars a year off the scam. “It’s not necessarily illegal to come here to have the baby, but if you lie about your reasons for coming here, that’s visa fraud,” Claude Arnold, special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations for Los Angeles, told NBC.
Chinese listing sites show several hundred birth hotels in California. In 2015, the State Department issued 2.3 million visas to Chinese tourists.
On Tuesday, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen told the Senate Judiciary Committee that she would be asking the Department of Justice to look into prosecuting officials in sanctuary cities. “The Department of Justice is reviewing what avenues may be available,” she said.
Trump has already threatened to withhold funding from sanctuary cities.