San Jose Mayor: ICE Operations Here Seemed ‘Very Targeted’, I Want Serious Criminals Deported

On Monday’s broadcast of CNN’s “OutFront,” San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan stated that the ICE actions in San Jose “appeared to be very targeted.” And he wants people committing serious or violent crimes deported.

Mahan said, [relevant remarks begin around 19:00] “We know that there were at least a couple of targeted actions in the community. We were not provided with any additional details.”

Later, host Erin Burnett asked, “So, you heard Trump say that those on the deportation flights are filled with drug lords and gang members — as he was just speaking a few moments ago — we know that that’s not the case, there are people who are not that. But I’m curious what your understanding is, by and large, right? Is that what it really is? What’s your response to him saying that?”

Mahan responded, “Well, so far, the actions yesterday appeared to be very targeted. We certainly had operations like this under the Biden administration and previous administrations. My general view is, if you are in our city or country and you’re undocumented and you’re committing serious or violent crimes, you should be deported. And I don’t think that’s very controversial. I don’t think it’s particularly controversial to say we want to have a secure border and know who or what’s coming in and out of the country.”

He continued, “At the same time, I think the federal government has failed us at a local level for decades. We have thousands of families in San Jose who are otherwise law-abiding, hard-working, raising their children here, contributing to society. And we need a way of rationalizing people’s existence here, bringing people out of the shadows, whether it’s a pathway to citizenship, it’s a work permit, it is some way of getting into a formal process and paying your dues, paying a fine, whatever it is. But we have been failed, and enforcement alone isn’t going to solve this problem.”

Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett

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