LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — A Los Angeles lawmaker leading the fight to make California a so-called “sanctuary state” has suggested half of his family would be deported for using falsified Social Security cards and other fake identification.
California Senate Leader Kevin de Leon made the claims during testimony before the Senate’s Public Safety Committee for SB54, a bill introduced by De Leon that would create a statewide sanctuary for immigrants living in the country illegally.
Responding to President Trump’s suggestion of “withholding federal funding” from California, de Leon said: “Half of my family would be eligible for deportation under the executive order, because they got a false social security card, they got a false identification, they got a false driver’s license prior to us passing AB 60, they got a false green card, and anyone who has family members who are undocumented knows that almost entirely everybody has secured some sort of false identification.”
“That’s what you need to survive, to work,” he added. “They are eligible for massive deportation.”
Some reacted to the senator’s statement by calling for authorities to further investigate de Leon’s claims.
Kevin De Léon defended the widespread practice by illegal aliens of using fraudulent documents to work and obtain taxpayer-paid benefits. pic.twitter.com/OjOmUAGrBq
— Courtney D. McKinney (@ThePhillyWire) February 6, 2017
By admitting half his family is in US illegally and using falsified documents, CA President Pro Tem Kevin De Léon (D) should be arrested.
— Joelon Wilson (@futureicon) February 6, 2017
Kevin de Leon KNEW & CONDONED his family's illegal actions! When are we going to make politicians obey the same laws as the rest of us??!! https://t.co/NFsDSu1VSU
— Deplorable Muriel (@MJkatzTheWriter) February 6, 2017
@ICEgov Kevin de leon just admitted to being an accomplice to forgery for his illegal family. Please arrest him.
— scott giblin (@scottagiblin) February 6, 2017
Pro Tem Kevin De Léon (D-Los Angeles) needs to be investigated into his involvement with his families illegal activity https://t.co/NlEQiaLDPX
— America First (@victorbreaux) February 6, 2017
In a statement released Monday, de Leon did not reference his comments to the Public Safety Committee, instead opting to criticize Trump’s reaction to SB54.
“President Trump’s threat to weaponize federal funding is not only unconstitutional but emblematic of the cruelty he seeks to impose on our most vulnerable communities. Taking such irresponsible action would hurt our senior citizens, children, farmers, and veterans – these are not political games, these are real lives the President is targeting”, said de Leon.