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Border Czar Calls Out NY’s AOC Over Migrant Webinar, Asks DOJ for Legal Clarity
Edited by: TJVNews.com
A heated political clash is unfolding as border czar Tom Homan publicly questioned whether New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) “crossed the line” by promoting a webinar that provided undocumented migrants with tips on avoiding federal law enforcement. According to a report that appeared on Sunday in The New York Post, Homan has reached out to the Department of Justice (DOJ) for guidance on whether the event constituted obstruction of federal immigration efforts.
As The New York Post report indicated, the controversy stems from a “Know Your Rights in Case of ICE” webinar hosted by Ocasio-Cortez’s office last week. The session, aired on the congresswoman’s Facebook page, advised undocumented immigrants not to open their doors to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers unless presented with a judicial warrant. Homan, 63, appeared on CNN’s State of the Union to reiterate his concerns, arguing that the event encouraged evasion of federal law enforcement rather than simply informing migrants of their legal rights. “You can call it ‘know your rights’ all you want,” Homan said, as quoted by The New York Post. “I think it’s more about how they evade law enforcement not to get arrested, even though there’s a federal warrant for your arrest.”
Ocasio-Cortez, 35, did not personally participate in the webinar, but her office was responsible for organizing and promoting it. The New York Post reported that Homan has already escalated the matter, sending an email to the deputy attorney general requesting an official stance on whether such actions amount to obstruction of immigration enforcement. Speaking to Fox News’ Laura Ingraham, Homan stated, “Is that impeding our law-enforcement efforts? If so, what are we going to do about it? Maybe AOC is going to be in trouble now … Impediment is impediment, in my opinion.”
During the webinar, a representative from the Immigrant Defense Project, a legal advocacy group, suggested that ICE agents “very, very rarely” possess judicial warrants and often rely on “ruses or intimidation” to gain entry into homes. The presentation encouraged migrants to “remain silent” when questioned by authorities. As The New York Post report revealed, this guidance has led Homan to argue that the event was designed to facilitate evasion rather than simply educate individuals on legal protections.
Homan’s broader concern is the impact of lenient immigration policies on public safety. He referenced the high-profile case of Jose Ibarra, an alleged Venezuelan gang member linked to the Tren de Aragua cartel, who was previously arrested in New York for endangering a child but released due to the city’s laws. Ibarra later traveled to Georgia, where he was charged with murdering 22-year-old nursing student Laken Riley. Homan argued that had federal authorities had full access to Ibarra in New York, Riley’s death could have been prevented.
Despite his strong concerns, The report in The New York Post noted that Homan has not directly accused Ocasio-Cortez of violating the law. Instead, he has framed his outreach to the DOJ as a necessary step to clarify what constitutes interference with federal immigration enforcement. “Now, I’m not saying that’s illegal,” Homan stated on CNN. “What I’m saying is, I asked the attorney general, at what point is it impeding, and [at] what point is it not impeding?”
Ocasio-Cortez has since dismissed Homan’s concerns, openly mocking his request for DOJ intervention. The New York Post reported that when questioned about the matter, the congresswoman’s office did not respond to a request for comment. However, she has previously defended the webinar as a way to “remind people of the law of the land passed by congressional statute.”
Homan, however, remains unconvinced. As The report in The New York Post highlighted, he pushed back on AOC’s claims during his CNN appearance, stating, “I have done this since 1984. I forgot more about immigration law [than] AOC will ever know.” He further emphasized that as the White House border czar, his responsibility is to ensure that ICE agents understand their legal boundaries and are not unduly hindered by political advocacy efforts.
