Sedition in Rochester, New York – The American Spectator | USA News and PoliticsThe American Spectator

Recently. agents from Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) were in the process of apprehending three illegal aliens from Guatemala at a traffic stop in Rochester New York. A scuffle broke out and the ICE officers called for back-up. Ten Rochester police officers showed up and assisted in the apprehension. Instead of being commended, the officers were suspended from duty and reprimanded by both the Mayor (Malik Evens) and the Chief of Police (David Smith). At last report, eight of the 10 had been returned to duty after receiving two hours of “education” on the city’s illegal sanctuary city city policy.

According to the New York Post, “Rochester’s sanctuary city resolution was adopted in 1986 and reaffirmed in 2017, according to WHAM. The Rochester Police Department is prohibited — under General Order 501 — from enforcing federal immigration laws.” Clearly, for decades, the federal government has allowed this sedition to go unpunished; during Democratic administrations, it has been tacitly encouraged.

So far Tom Homan the President’s Border Czar has told the beleaguered officers that, “help is on the way.” That help should come in the form of President Trump charging the mayor and police chief of Rochester with conspiracy to commit sedition. The President should direct Attorney General Pam Bondi to arrest both and prosecute them to the full extent of the law. Rochester should be placed in federal receivership until the sanctuary city policy is eradicated.

If the members of the city council persist in supporting sanctuary status, they too should be arrested and charged with seditious activity.

This action would serve as an example to other cities and states of what can happen if they continue to interfere with federal officials in the performance of their duty to protect the sovereignty of the United States and reestablish control of the nation’s borders.

Radical Leftists Destroyed Rochester

In the middle of the last century, Rochester was a great city. Fueled by the growth of Kodak and Xerox, it was forward looking and well run by a combination of moderate Republican and Democratic leaders. In the late 60s and early 70s, outside far left radicals such as Saul Alinsky called Rochester “Smugtown.” They vowed to destroy it and largely succeeded with the help of local radical black leaders.

Today, Rochester is a poster child for the rot that far-left Democrat leadership has inflicted on so many of the nation’s urban areas, and sanctuary cities have become cesspits of crime and murder.  On August 31st, 2024, a family in the Rochester area, including two young children — one only two years old — were slaughtered in their home by an illegal immigrant from the Dominican Republic, Some areas of the city are so infested with drug violence that they are virtual no-go zones for police. Many of these scum are free without bail due to New York’s ridiculous policies regarding criminals arrested for non-violent offenses. This is one of many cities — particularly in New York State — where coddling criminals is the norm rather than the exception.

Sedition is defined as, “conduct or speech inciting people to rebel against the authority of a state.” That is exactly what the concept of sanctuary cities represents. If a municipality or state attempts to use force in preventing ICE, the FBI, or any other  federal agency in the execution of their duty to enforce immigration or any other national laws, they should be considered to be in a state of insurrection, that being “a violent uprising against an authority or government.” Local officials in sanctuary areas should note that a dispute at Fort Sumter over who had authority began some four years of unpleasantness that did not end well for the insurrectionists.

READ MORE from Gary Anderson:

Why the Marines Can’t Fix the Houthi Problem

The Military Recruiting Crisis Starts With the Leadership

Gary Anderson is a frequent contributor to The American Spectator.