Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., didn’t back down when Tom Homan, the former Border Patrol chief under the Trump administration, threatened to refer her to the Department of Justice for allegedly advising migrants on how to avoid deportation. At a town hall in Queens, Ocasio-Cortez fired back, telling the audience she wasn’t intimidated by such threats. The comments came after her office hosted a “Know Your Rights” webinar in February, a session designed to help migrants understand their constitutional protections.
The webinar offered crucial advice for those in her district, teaching them what to do if confronted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. Migrants were told they had the right to record searches, and to ask ICE officers for warrants before allowing them into their homes. While Ocasio-Cortez was giving migrants important information, Homan suggested that what she was doing might be illegal, claiming it could potentially obstruct ICE’s efforts to carry out mass deportations.
"Tom Homan said he was going to refer me to DOJ because I’m using my free speech rights in order to advise people of their constitutional protections," Ocasio-Cortez remarked, addressing the crowd with a confident challenge. "To that I say: Come for me, do I look like I care?" The statement was met with applause from the audience, and she went further, saying, “There’s nothing illegal about it. If they want to make it illegal, they can come take me."
Homan had previously suggested that Ocasio-Cortez’s actions could be crossing a legal line. Speaking on a Fox News segment, he said, “I’m working with the Department of Justice and finding out. Where is that line that they cross? So maybe AOC is going to be in trouble now.” According to Homan, Ocasio-Cortez was essentially encouraging migrants to evade law enforcement, which, he argued, could be seen as aiding and abetting illegal activities.
“What she needs to do is read the statutes enacted by Congress because it's a crime to enter this country illegally,” Homan said. “Not only that, but when you harbor and conceal and impede law enforcement, that's a felony.” He accused the progressive congresswoman of teaching migrants how to dodge law enforcement by advising them of their rights, something he called a violation of the law.
Ocasio-Cortez did not back down. She used the town hall as a platform to continue her defense of migrant rights and to criticize the Trump administration’s hardline stance on immigration. She strongly denounced the administration's border security policies, calling its tactics of deporting Venezuelan gang members “sanctioned kidnappings.”
“I don’t even want to call them deportations,” Ocasio-Cortez declared, making her stance clear. “They are sanctioned kidnappings in many circumstances.” She went on to explain how, under current law, immigrants had the right to challenge ICE's presence. “They do not have carte blanche to enter. If they do want to knock on your door, or knock on anyone's door — including your workplace — you can tell them, ‘Show me a warrant. Show me a judicial warrant.’ And if they don’t show you a warrant, you can say they can come back with a warrant. You have the right to turn them away.”
The audience in Queens was overwhelmingly supportive of Ocasio-Cortez’s bold stance on immigration, as well as her broader progressive agenda. The auditorium was packed, and for those who couldn’t fit inside, an overflow room was set up. The crowd responded enthusiastically to Ocasio-Cortez’s remarks, applauding her efforts and questioning her about a range of issues affecting their local community. There were calls for a minimum wage hike, better air quality, and more action to combat the effects of climate change. The loudest cheers came when Ocasio-Cortez voiced her opposition to a proposed casino development at Citi Field, which is part of a new sports and entertainment park in the area. Though the New York City Council had already approved the project, Ocasio-Cortez made it clear she was against it, stating that it wasn’t in her district and that she didn’t have much influence over the decision.
Still, her position on the project sparked significant applause from the crowd, reinforcing her popularity among locals. The town hall was generally uneventful, aside from one interruption. A protester barged into the event, shouting at Ocasio-Cortez about the situation in Gaza. “I am a healthcare worker and I want to know what you’re doing about the genocide in Gaza,” the protester demanded.
The disruption was short-lived. The audience quickly responded with loud boos, and some shouted “Shame! Shame! Shame!” at the protester. Eventually, security escorted the individual out of the venue, allowing the event to continue smoothly.
This confrontation with Homan, along with her unwavering support for migrant rights, shows that Ocasio-Cortez is more than willing to take on powerful figures who oppose her. Her willingness to stand firm in the face of threats only boosts her reputation among her constituents, who see her as a bold advocate for their rights. Whether it’s defending free speech, opposing unjust deportation tactics, or standing up for her community’s interests, Ocasio-Cortez continues to make waves in Washington and beyond.
It’s clear that the congresswoman has no intention of backing down from her advocacy, no matter how much pressure she faces. Her fiery response to Homan and the Trump administration’s border policies signals that she’s ready to keep fighting for what she believes is right—regardless of the political fallout. And for those who support her, this only reinforces her standing as a champion for the marginalized and a voice that’s not afraid to challenge the status quo.
In the end, Ocasio-Cortez’s town hall wasn’t just a meeting—it was a statement. It was a message to her critics, to the Trump administration, and to everyone watching that she won’t be silenced. Whether she’s advising constituents on their legal rights or opposing policies she believes are wrong, Ocasio-Cortez is making it clear: she’s here to stay, and she’s not going anywhere anytime soon.
With the political climate becoming more divisive by the day, the pressure on Ocasio-Cortez only seems to be rising. But as this town hall demonstrated, she’s more than ready to meet the challenge head-on. Her supporters are behind her, and her detractors? Well, they might just have to get used to her fighting back.
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