In an attempt to excuse Oakland, California Mayor Libby Schaaf’s outrageous decision to help criminal aliens evade federal authorities, CBS and NBC portrayed the Democrat’s unlawful action as the result of a “feud” with the Trump administration over immigration policy. At least those two networks covered the story, unlike ABC, which has failed to discover the controversy.
“Much more ahead on tonight’s CBS Evening News, including the mayor who defied a federal agency,” anchor Jeff Glor teased Wednesday night. Introducing the report minutes later, he declared: “The battle over sanctuary cities has exploded into a public feud between the head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Mayor of Oakland, California now.”
Correspondent Carter Evans explained that “Mayor Libby Schaaf publicly warned the community that ICE agents were coming” and noted that “Acting ICE Director Tom Homan did not hold back.” A soundbite ran of Homan blasting Schaaf’s irresponsible behavior: “I mean, it’s beyond the pale. I’ve been doing this for 34 years and this is a whole new low, to intentionally warn criminals that law enforcement’s coming. I just can’t believe it happened.”
The headline on screen throughout the report actually painted the liberal mayor as the victim: “ICE Attacks Oakland Mayor for Immigration Sweep Warning.”
Evans seemed to hail Schaaf as a martyr: “We’re here at Oakland City Hall, where the Mayor is unapologetic about tipping people off to the recent immigration round-up. She says she’s even willing to go to jail to protect her city’s sanctuary status...”
The reporter did briefly challenge the mayor during a press conference: “But now you’re being accused of protecting people with criminal records.” Schaaf replied: “What I did was my job as the Mayor of Oakland and reflective of the values of the people that I represent.”
But rather than push back on the notion that Oakland’s “values” meant helping criminals evade authorities, Evans instead fretted over an increase of illegal immigrant arrests under the Trump:
Under President Trump, arrests are up 42% compared to under President Obama. And while criminal arrests under both administrations were about the same, non-criminal arrests saw a 334% spike under President Trump.
Evans then decided to hit the streets to boost left-wing activists:
This afternoon, people took to the streets of San Francisco....Protesters don’t look like they’re leaving any time soon. You can see they have formed a human chain here. They are locked together and have essentially blocked access to the immigration building. ICE says the deportations will continue as planned.
He concluded: “As for tipping off her community, Oakland’s Mayor Schaaf says she’ll do it again.”
On Thursday’s NBC Today, co-host Savannah Guthrie similarly described the incident as a sign of the “feud” between the mayor and ICE: “The sanctuary cities feud between Oakland’s Democratic mayor and the Trump administration is escalating this morning. The mayor, Libby Schaaf, says she had a moral obligation last weekend to warn undocumented families about impending federal immigration raids.”
The headline on screen placed the phrases “sanctuary cities” and “criminal aliens” in quotes: “‘Sanctuary Cities’ Feud; Feds Say Oakland Mayor’s Warning Helped ‘Criminal Aliens.’”
During the mere 29-second news brief, Guthrie mentioned ICE’s response: “ICE agents eventually did detain more than 150 people, but immigration officials say the mayor’s warning helped some of the 850 others who are still wanted elude capture. And they say her actions endangered ICE officers and the public.”
Neither ABC’s World News Tonight on Wednesday nor Good Morning America on Thursday made any mention of the Democratic mayor being embroiled in controversy.
When an elected official helps criminals evade law enforcement, that’s not a “feud” with the federal government, it’s called breaking the law.
Here is a full transcript of the February 28 report on CBS Evening News:
6:46 PM ET
JEFF GLOR: The battle over sanctuary cities has exploded into a public feud between the head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Mayor of Oakland, California now. It started when the mayor tipped off residents about a federal round-up of people living in the U.S. illegally. More on this from Carter Evans.
CARTER EVANS: This video shows one of the 150 undocumented immigrants being arrested in a multi-day targeted sweep throughout northern California, including Oakland, where Mayor Libby Schaaf publicly warned the community that ICE agents were coming.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: ICE Attacks Oakland Mayor for Immigration Sweep Warning]
Reaction to the Mayor was swift, some calling her office directly.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN [CALLER]: And the little creepy Mayor of Oakland ought to be the first one that gets cuffed for treason.
EVANS: Others posting on Facebook, writing, “People like you make this country much more dangerous.”
Today, Acting ICE Director Tom Homan did not hold back.
TOM HOMAN [ACTING DIRECTOR, ICE]: I mean, it’s beyond the pale. I’ve been doing this for 34 years and this is a whole new low, to intentionally warn criminals that law enforcement’s coming. I just can’t believe it happened. She gave them warning, and there’s 800 that we were unable to locate because of that warning.
EVANS: We’re here at Oakland City Hall, where the Mayor is unapologetic about tipping people off to the recent immigration round-up. She says she’s even willing to go to jail to protect her city’s sanctuary status, and we’re here to find out way.
LIBBY SCHAAF: Every day as the Mayor of Oakland I make decisions that are criticized. That comes with the job.
EVANS: But now you’re being accused of protecting people with criminal records.
SCHAAF: What I did was my job as the Mayor of Oakland and reflective of the values of the people that I represent.
EVANS: Under President Trump, arrests are up 42% compared to under President Obama. And while criminal arrests under both administrations were about the same, non-criminal arrests saw a 334% spike under President Trump.
PROTESTORS: Shutdown ICE! Shutdown ICE!
EVANS: This afternoon, people took to the streets of San Francisco.
Can I ask you a question really quickly? Are you willing to get arrested here today?
JUAN PIERTO: I’m willing to get arrested for my immunity, yes.
EVANS: 25-year-old Juan Pierto is undocumented. He’s been living here for 17 years. Has your family changed the way they’re living because of the current climate?
PIERTO: Absolutely. There’s like a depression rising in my family. Family members no longer want to go out of their households. And that’s no way to live.
EVANS: Protesters don’t look like they’re leaving any time soon. You can see they have formed a human chain here. They are locked together and have essentially blocked access to the immigration building. ICE says the deportations will continue as planned.
As for tipping off her community, Oakland’s Mayor Schaaf says she’ll do it again. Jeff?
GLOR: Carter Evans inside Oakland for us tonight. Carter, thank you very much.
