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Oakland, California Mayor Libby Schaaf is standing her ground against threats by President Donald Trump, who last Wednesday called upon the Department of Justice to investigate Schaaf for obstruction of justice because of her willingness to shield undocumented immigrants from ICE raids.
On Monday, Schaaf appeared on CNN's Out Front and explained to host Erin Burnett that Republicans in Washington are not going to intimidate her into failing to protect undocumented immigrants.
I'm not going to let the bullies in Washington, DC, deter me from doing what I know is right for my community. In Oakland, we're very clear about what our values are. We value our immigrant communities. We value diversity. And we will not allow anyone to intimidate us. We will not apologize for those values.
"I wanted to make sure that people were prepared, not panicked, and that they understood their legal rights," Schaaf said in her op-ed. "As a leader, it's my duty to call out this administration's anti-immigrant fearmongering for what it is: a racist lie."
Yesterday, Congressman Steve King (R-IA), a conservative firebrand infamous for his racist comments on immigrants, introduced a bill in the House of Representatives that would "target state and local officials in Sanctuary Cities who act to obstruct Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) efforts to enforce federal immigration laws."
The Mayor Libby Schaaf Act of 2018 threatens federal officials with up to five years in prison for those who "obstruct or impede the enforcement of federal laws."
That is part of the beauty of American democracy: a balance between state, local and federal power. And I can tell you I know a lot more about what makes my community safe than a Congress member from Iowa.
"Her actions support those who flout our laws and boldly validates illegality," Sessions said. "There's no other way to interpret those remarks."