Border Czar Says He Asked DOJ To Investigate AOC Over Advice To Migrants: 'Where's That Line Of Interference?'

Tom Homan, President Trump's "border czar," said on Monday that he has contacted the Department of Justice (DOJ) to determine whether Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's efforts to educate migrants about their rights may be interfering with law enforcement operations to follow through with President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown.

Speaking on Fox News, Homan expressed concern that informing individuals about their rights could impede Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from carrying out deportations and questioned the legality of Ocasio-Cortez's actions:

"You can claim you [are] educating [them about] constitutional rights. But what she [Ocasio-Cortez] is, in fact, doing is telling people 'don't open the door, hide in your home, don't talk to ICE. We are talking about people who are in the country illegally [and have] committed a crime. They are public safety threats," he continued, saying that federal judges have ordered the removal of many such individuals.

Homan had already said last week that he was "working with the Department of Justice" to determine if Ocasio-Cortez had crossed a legal boundary, as The Hill reports. "Maybe AOC's gonna be in trouble now," he said in response to a question on Fox News's "The Ingraham Angle."

Back then, Ocasio-Cortez dismissed Homan's remarks, mocking Homan on social media by suggesting he should learn to read and that "The Constitution would be a good place to start," referencing the Fourth Amendment, which protects against unlawful searches and seizures.

On Tuesday, she responded to Homan's latest interview through another post:

The controversy arose after Ocasio-Cortez hosted an online "know your rights" seminar for constituents, many of whom belong to immigrant communities. Even though such initiatives aim to inform individuals of their legal protections, experts such as International Human Rights Law Specialist Isabelle Vladoiu believe that there is "an important nuance" between educational efforts and instructing immigrants on how to evade the law.

As Vladoiu told The Latin Times:

"Legal education should empower individuals by providing them with knowledge of their rights, such as their protections under the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Amendments, their right to remain silent, and their right to legal representation. However, these efforts should not cross the line into actively advising individuals on how to avoid law enforcement actions"

"Ultimately, the goal of such educational initiatives should be to ensure that individuals are aware of their legal rights and protections," added Vladoiu, explaining that providing a roadmap for avoiding lawful enforcement could be seen as obstruction of justice. "Balancing these aspects is critical to maintaining both the rule of law and the protection of civil liberties," she concluded.