Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf is warning illegal aliens of potential Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids taking place in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Schaaf told KRON that credible sources told her that ICE would conduct a sweep of the area, adding that she is sharing the information to protect people.
“Earlier today, I learned from multiple credible sources that the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is preparing to conduct an operation in the Bay Area, including Oakland, starting as soon as within the next 24 hours,” Schaaf said in a statement released Saturday.
“As Mayor of Oakland, I am sharing this information publicly not to panic our residents but to protect them,” she added.
The city encouraged “interested residents” to consult the website of Centro Legal De La Raza, a local immigration law center, so affected residents could understand their legal rights in case they or someone they know needs legal representation if they are detained.
Many school districts in the San Francisco Bay Area have “strict protocols” to protect illegal aliens who may be in those areas, and the city of Oakland prohibits officers from taking part in ICE raids.