Jonathan Turley, a legal analyst for Fox News, criticized President Donald Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, for suggesting that Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) could potentially face prosecution for educating undocumented individuals about their legal rights.
“Such a prosecution would be a violation of free speech rights,” Turley stated on X. “While AOC has not always been a champion of free speech, it is essential for the rest of us who value the First Amendment to uphold this principle.”
“Just as VP Vance delivered a strong defense of free speech in Europe, this unfounded threat undermines the progress made in Munich,” he added. (During a remarkable speech in Germany, Vice President JD Vance criticized European allies, accusing their governments of suppressing free speech.)
Homan and Ocasio-Cortez have been engaged in a war of words recently after the New York Democrat hosted a webinar titled “Know Your Rights” to educate immigrants on how to protect themselves during Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids.
Homan, a key figure in Trump’s deportation plans, insinuated on Thursday that Ocasio-Cortez could potentially face consequences for her actions.
“Is she overstepping boundaries?” he questioned on Fox News. “I am collaborating with the Department of Justice to investigate.”
The congresswoman seemed unfazed, responding, “Perhaps he should brush up on his reading. The Constitution is a good place to start.”
Homan reiterated his stance on Monday, accusing the Democrat of attempting to “educate people on avoiding law enforcement.”
“I have consulted with the DOJ to determine where the line is drawn in terms of obstruction or interference,” he stated on Fox News.
Regardless of their immigration status, everyone is entitled to rights under the Constitution, and it is not illegal to inform individuals about their rights.
“Homan has no case. The Fourth Amendment is explicit, and it is my duty to educate individuals about their rights,” Ocasio-Cortez declared on X Monday evening. “He can threaten me with imprisonment and hurl insults as much as he wants. He has nothing else.”
