Alaska Public Media, which is a taxpayer-funded PBS affiliate, took time to highlight the fact that Anchorage’s hard-leftist mayor is opposed to the Trump Administration’s efforts to arrest illegal immigrants in Alaska’s largest city.
In a July 10 report by Alaska Public Media, LaFrance said the arrests by ICE are “frustrating.”
She claimed the city had a lot of public safety problems, including drug trafficking, but made no connection between that and illegal alien activity.
“If the federal agencies are going to take an interest in our community, I sure wish they would focus on like drugs and violent crimes,” LaFrance said. “We don’t have, to my knowledge, any issues or problems with immigration here.”
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In fact, the U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security has been arresting violent criminal illegal aliens in cities across the country since Trump took office. This includes sex offenders, drug traffickers, pedophiles and human slave traders.
LaFrance boasted that her administration has not helped ICE in any of its Anchorage arrests. Instead, she claimed Anchorage actually needs more people, due to the fact that the city has been losing residents in recent years. That has occurred, in part, because of the rising crime, vandalism and vagrancy that has plagued the city.
“We’ve got outmigration,” LaFrance said. “We want people to come here. You know, we need workforce. And also we’re a diverse place. You know, we appreciate the backgrounds that people have and our stories about why we came to Alaska.”
34 Comments
Well she is a Democrat pretending to be independent. Democrats by nature cannot actually solve problems, they only exacerbate them in order to profit and gain power from them.
I love how the Democrats openly reveal that without migration, there would not be enough serfs to do the menial tasks. Perhaps get those lazy SNAP wellfare parasites to get off their lazy butts and do the jobs instead. I can tell you this city has plenty of them.
Good to see the people noticing just how sick our government is. Hopefully some real change happens.
Too many bleeding hearts and not enough personal responsibility. I do wish LaFrance the best in her service to this city, but at this point, she is her own worse enemy and it is exposed fully for us all to see. Time for some actual leadership.
What an idiot, who voted this leftist whacko in?? She has blinders on for the major problems, must be related to Mayor Bass of LA but thinks by voicing her hate for this Trump administration will secure her job come next election. NUTjob, same as Murkowski, get a life.
Our tax dollars would be better spent than this Radical left PBS affiliate.
Mayor LaFrance, I have been an Alaskan for more years than you are old. I use to like visiting Anchorage, but no more. Beg all you want for more residents. You could not pay me enough money to move to that lawless, direlect city you call home.
You appreciate our stories about why we came here? Would you like to hear why we’re leaving? How about another Town Hall or listening session, LaFrance? You don’t seem to hear the people who are asking you to clean up our streets. You don’t seem to see the public drinking parties and drunkards passed out right outside the doors of City Hall. You don’t seem to have a clue how gross and ugly Anchorage has become while perpetual law breakers are given a pass day and day out. There’s no consequence for lawless behavior, so there’s no law and order. Shame on you for the hellscape you and your childless, sexually deviant compadres on the Assembly have turned Anchorage into.
She can fret and wring her hands about illegal immigrants all she wishes, but she’d be well advised to keep her distance while federal authorities fulfill their duties.
“We don’t have, to my knowledge, any issues or problems with immigration here.” Key phrase “to my knowledge” is lawyer speak. Also missing from that sentence is the term “illegal”, for example: “…any issues or problems with ILLEGAL immigration here.” Nothing to see, move along.
Anchorage changed because of all the in-migration of thousands of foreign born people who know little of traditional Alaska culture, are heavily dependent upon welfare, and who don’t speak English. Walk through some stores in Anchorage and you will wonder if you are still in the USA. Catholic Social Services is largely responsible, as is chain migration. Because these folks largely have no real attachment to traditional America and Alaska, they vote Democrat/big government. I’m glad I experienced living in Anchorage in the late 60s and early 70, but I would never live there again.
Alaska changed with the in migration of Texans and Oklahomans for the oil industry. It used to be that people were here for the lifestyle. Now it’s mostly outdoorsman wannabes who can’t go anywhere or do anything without a motor strapped to their ass.
That aside, LaFrance is correct about the importance of immigrant labor to our economy. I supervise 15 people and 3 are immigrants; all excellent emplyees.
Alaska changed, for the most part, as a result of fleeing Californians, who fled from the socialistic, communistic, government.. and proceeded to influence politics here, with the same crap that they fled from.
This liberal mayor and demonic assembly needs to be investigated by DOGE
“ In fact, the U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security has been arresting violent criminal illegal aliens in cities across the country since Trump took office. This includes sex offenders, drug traffickers, pedophiles and human slave traders.” This is the Big Lie that justifies extraordinary violations of law, Christian values and honesty. So far, detainees are brown skin people, illegally kidnapped and victims of the Ghoul Stephen Miller. No due process, lives upended because of racism. Due process is key here. Consider your own surname, if it’s something other than Smith or Johnson, if it is Gonzales or Lopez or Garcia, you are at risk of illegal detainment and a bunch of corrupt Trumpy lawyers preventing your sue process
My Dear Manny,
If that were actually happening, the CNN news cycle would have constant fodder for the masses. As it is, they keep propping up the Maryland man every time he walks into a new room and any Breaking News is regarding some poor souls shooting at or bemoaning ICE agents. Where are these “illegally kidnapped brown skin people”?
According to Hans von Spakovsky of the Heritage Foundation, “Federal immigration law and court precedents make clear that aliens do not have full access to all of the constitutional rights afforded to citizens.” Also,
“Immigration cases are civil rather than criminal proceedings, and aliens have limited due process rights as defined by Congress and Supreme Court precedents.”
I recommend everybody do some research regarding the actual meaning and applications of due process, instead of picking up the propaganda mantras that CNN and a host of feckless Democrats keep repeating.
Manny, what type of due process do you want? Are they here illegally or not?
That’s the right question. How do we answer it? Due process in the form of a judicial hearing. Then we know if legal or not.
“……. Due process in the form of a judicial hearing. Then we know if legal or not………”
There is no judicial hearing needed. If they have ID, and they are here without visa, work permit, refugee status, or entry authorization of any kind, they’re here illegally. The proper process is deportation. If deported before, then the proper process is criminal prosecution under federal law, and thus they get their day in court. If they have no valid, confirmed ID, they are held until identified. In absolutely zero case are they released into American society. None.
Manny, if you’re red, yellow, black or white and Illegal. You are being deported end of store.
How do you know someone is illegal by appearance alone? Or does it matter? Doesn’t matter to Ghoul Stephen Miller. Read his stuff. Major white supremasist. Mother was a Russian immigrant. Doesn’t matter legal status, just can’t be brown. 41, 495 out of 57,861 individuals in ICE detention as of June 29, 2025, had no criminal record. Hardly the worst of the worst
“…….How do you know someone is illegal by appearance alone?……..”
You don’t. One is determined to be in the US legally by documentation, and documentation alone. That includes you, me, and the dogcatcher. If you are “undocumented”, your status is uncertain until you are positively identified, and until that takes place, you are held under arrest.
“………How do you know someone is illegal by appearance alone?……..”
Tom Homan’s words:
“…….. ICE officers and border patrol, they don’t need probable cause to walk up to somebody, briefly detain them, and question them. They just need this: totality of the circumstances, right? They just got through the observation, you know, get articulable facts based on the location, the occupation, their physical appearance, their actions……..”
Manny, you’re trying to create confusion like a lawyer. It isn’t “appearance alone”, and we know it, even if you choose to play games with Homan’s words to justify your own ideology.
You want due process for deportation. That depends on if they used due process to come into the country.
Those 41,495 broke the law when they crossed the border. That’s their criminal record.
What is at the core of your dislike of immigrants? I see little difference between a person with or without papers.
“…….. I see little difference between a person with or without papers………”
Legitimacy under the law. If you prefer lawlessness, migrate to Venezuela.
Pelosi…..I mean LaFrance, just doesn’t get it, does she.
Yes, the federal government should take interest. Since communists like lafrance support illegals, federal monies should be withheld from the muni’s budget.
“The city has been losing residents in recent years”, and Lafrance still doesn’t have a clue as to why?
“If the federal agencies are going to take an interest in our community, I sure wish they would focus on like drugs and violent crimes,” LaFrance told Fresh Air.
LaFrance that’s your job to clean up your city. Have the cops do their job. But NO you have them stand down. Remember if you’re an illegal in our country. Yes you get deported back where you can from.
I really hate LaFrances guts, but being a stupid democrat I have to vote for her. Life sucks.
hello
How much of the “permanent fund” is distributed to non citizens ?
I lived in AK for years. Anchorage 4th street was always a den of iniquity…..long before there were “illegal” immigrants.
Drunks were the theme then and they were usually thickest at their PanHandle Bar epicenter and radiated to fewer and fewer from there. This is a new kind of bum. Not just the low life ‘barf on the sidewalk’ slob; something much more unsavory.
LaFarce complains about outward migration and doesn’t seem to understand that it is caused by the policies that her and the assembly created. If she wants to stop the outward migration, she should take a look at these hurtful policies and change them.
For last year the famous discount clothing store that moved near Old Seward on Dimond has a policy of taking the picture of each person by the security guard before one enters the store. Guard says theft is reason that only allows fixed number of customers in store at one time. Customers appear to be new to the.city, many on our visit, not speaking English. Most sales we noted were with credit, folks just trying to get clothes in n hurry. Store hours til 11 PM….