Fox News contributor Jonathan Turley on Monday decried “a prosecution” of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) “for hosting” an immigration webinar.
“Border Czar Tom Homan doubled down last night that Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) might be prosecuted for hosting a forum on ‘Know Your Rights’ for accused illegal aliens. Such a prosecution would be an assault on free speech rights,” Turley said in a thread on the social platform X on Monday, as highlighted by Mediaite.
Turley said the New York Democrat “has never been a defender of free speech” but also added that “principle demands something more from the rest of us who value the First Amendment.”
Last week, Ocasio-Cortez’s Facebook page streamed a webinar on “discussing your rights when dealing with [Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)].”
“Is that impeding our law enforcement efforts? If so, what are we going to do about it? Is she crossing the line?” Homan said a day later on Fox News’s “The Ingraham Angle” of the webinar.
“So, I’m working with the Department of Justice and finding out. Where is that line that they cross? So, maybe AOC’s gonna be in trouble now,” he continued.
The New York Democrat later mocked Homan in a post on the social platform Bluesky.
“‘MaYbe shE’s goiNg to be in TroUble nOw,’” Ocasio-Cortez said.
“Maybe he can learn to read. The Constitution would be a good place to start,” she added.
Homan said Monday that he asked the Justice Department if efforts by Ocasio-Cortez to teach people about their rights while facing ICE is impeding the agency’s operations.
The Hill has reached out to the White House and the offices of Ocasio-Cortez’s and ICE for comment.
