In all the sanctuary city madness we've seen so far, this is probably one of the most disgusting public displays by an elected official not named 'Wu.'
Apparently, this all started Monday night when Tom Homan's boys were operating in Rochester, New York, a self-declared 'sanctuary city.' I guess to keep federal funds flowing, the city grudgingly allows their police officers to 'provide backup to ensure the safety' of fellow law enforcement officers, but that's all they can do, which is sort of nebulous in itself and open to interpretation if circumstances get feisty. In any event, Rochester officers are prohibited from immigration enforcement activities.
So what happened was the Homeland Security team was in the middle of a traffic stop and 'urgently' called the RPD for 'emergency' response' at the scene. The Rochester cops arrived post-haste to help out.
It seems to get a little muddled after that, but a few things were obvious - there wasn't an 'emergency,' and somehow, Rochester cops wound up putting hands and cuffs on people at the center of an ICE operation.
...When RPD officers arrived, they found no emergency, Smith said. The first supervisor at the scene canceled the emergency response, but nearly a dozen RPD officers responded anyway.
Body-worn camera footage shows the supervisor instructing officers to allow federal immigration agents to take the lead, according to Smith, but at some point, he became distracted by a woman at the scene and RPD officers removed several people from the van and placed them in handcuffs. The Democrat and Chronicle has filed a public records request for the body-worn camera footage.
Smith said he was struck by the "total lack of urgency" shown by Homeland Security officers despite calling for "lights and sirens" backup and said he was concerned that RPD officers acted out of view of the supervisor. Evans called the incident a violation of city policy.
At least eight people were removed from the vehicle but it is unclear how many were detained. Smith said RPD left the scene shortly after and he has no information on the immigration status of the individuals or why they were stopped by federal immigration agents.
Then everyone went their separate ways.
No harm, no foul until a helpful citizen at the scene alerted the head shed about what the RPD officers had done with the eight people in the van ICE had stopped.
Oh, all hell be breaking loose now.
The police chief opened an internal investigation, and Rochester mayor Malik Evans held a press conference to rip up his uniformed cops, dressing them down in no uncertain terms for their actions during the incident. The Rochester top cop, police chief David Smith, piped up in mealy-mouthed support.
Rochester leaders scolded local cops for violating their sanctuary city policies after they responded to a request for backup from Border Patrol agents conducting a traffic stop.
...“The officers on the scene verbally directed the occupants to get out of the vehicle, and this is against our policy,” [Mayor Evans] he said.
“Our policy is crystal clear. City police officers do not help or participate in federal immigration activities,” he added, noting he personally instructed Police Chief David Smith to remind every member of the force about the directive.
...Smith then continued admonishing officers for following standard police procedure.
“We are not to be handcuffing subjects,” he said. “We are not to be doing pat frisks on subjects, and we are absolutely not going to be detaining them or putting them into our cars.”
All the officers involved are getting a dose of woke re-education and re-programming camp, too.
...The dozen-or-so officers involved will receive additional training this week before they return to regular patrol duties, Smith said. RPD has also opened an internal investigation into the incident.
Sounds like a great place to work, no?
To their credit, the police union came out blasting, calling the mayor's performance a 'complete overreaction' and explaining that the occupants weren't complying with the DHS agents' requests to exit. And no RPD officer had any communication at any time about immigration status with any of the individuals, period.
The RPD officers were assisting fellow law enforcement after 'a call for help.'
...The union said the occupants of the van “were not complying with agents’ request to exit the vehicle,” which they eventually did “without resistance” when the local cops stepped in to help.
“The officers on scene asked no questions of the occupants about their immigration status or relevant documents. No force was used … Once the scene was secured, that ended RPD’s involvement in the matter,” the statement read.
“The Mayor’s statements today about this incident represent a complete overreaction to what did (and did not) happen on Monday. The Locust Club members who responded did absolutely nothing wrong, other than to answer a call for help from another agency.”
Re: Mayor Evans' press conference this afternoon. The Locust Club's Statement⬇️@13WHAM @WHAM1180 @BobLonsberry @mcfw @ROCHNYCRIMEINFO @SPECNews1ROC @news10nbc @News_8 @WXXINews @crimedawgpod @DandC @WYSL1040 pic.twitter.com/NoQR0ILLku
— Rochester Police Locust Club (@ROCLocustClub) March 27, 2025
Of course, the biggest 'victims' of this outrageous breach of woke etiquette are now?
...But City Council President Miguel Melendez said the deportation efforts have led to fear among the Latino community in Rochester.
That's the most important thing. Not that there may be as many as twelve cops who could lose their jobs over this stupidly obtuse attitude.
🚨 WTF?! Multiple Rochester, NY Police Officers are facing possible TERMINATION for responding to an emergency call from Border Patrol
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) March 27, 2025
Rochester’s Mayor says this violated the city’s “sanctuary policy.”
If they’re fired, Trump should make these patriots federal officers!… pic.twitter.com/osYWmNCVDC
Not that Rochester isn't a lovely place with those two in charge. Someone in Rochester Xweets called them members of the 'Hochul brain trust.'
*snort*
Why is this even being reported on the news. It's against the city mandates for Cops to help create a safe environment for law abiding citizens. Doesn't the news understand that our city only protects illegals and criminals?
— MikeT (@MikeM58576) March 28, 2025
Mayor Malik should be so proud.
This call is 25 minutes old, still no Police responding, and now RFD is just being dispatched.
— Jamesmall (@sfj8888) March 28, 2025
....keep in mind we have a useless police chief & mayor who just took damn near a dozen officers off the road FOR DOING THEIR JOB!! #RochesterNY #ROC
Lucky him that he has officers to spare any time he wants to yank a dozen or so off the force for doing 'police work' in his sanctuary for illegals.
#ROC #GREECENY
— ROCHESTER, NY CRIME, INCIDENTS, NEWS, INFO (@ROCHNYCRIMEINFO) March 27, 2025
2:40pm - gun point robbery at 295 Stonewood Ave at the Deli - male wearing a mask, black and gray jacket - took all cash from the drawer - left on foot - asking for a K9 and a drone to the area @sfj8888 @mcfw @acoffey3216 @JohnSpaulding @barstow_scott @r_heals13
I'll bet Malik and the Chief hate Elon, too.
Just an FYI for the dumbasses in Rochester NY and any PAID protesters coming our way thinking to terrorize Tesla Rochester.
— Arline (@ArlineL0) March 28, 2025
AG Bondi: We Won’t Negotiate Plea Deals on Any Anti-Tesla Violence Case. Yup, she won’t negotiate with terrorists! @elonmusk @AGPamBondi pic.twitter.com/jb9Q86jGFh
Good luck, Rochester.
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