I only wish this was a headline I stole from The Onion. Sadly, it’s an actual news story coming to us from Baltimore.

Earlier this month the Department of Homeland Security had planned a wide ranging operation where they were going to be pursuing more than 8,000 illegal aliens in locations across the country. Dubbed “Operation Mega” by ICE, the operation was postponed, supposedly due to the arrival of hurricanes Harvey and Irma (more on that below), but a memo describing the plan wound up being leaked to the media. This set of waves of anger in the illegal alien community, particularly in Baltimore, Maryland. Activists supporting the illegals and opposed to border security were quick to take the agency to task, demanding that ICE reveal all of their plans and let them know if there were raids coming. (CBS Baltimore)

Days after Homeland Security cancels “Operation Mega,” a nationwide crackdown and round up of undocumented immigrants, some are worried it’s only a matter of time before they’re booted out of the country. Immigrants rights advocates from across Maryland took their frustration and fear to the streets Tuesday at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Office in Baltimore. “We’re demanding that ICE show us our papers as community members and really document that they’re not going to be doing these violations against our community,” said CASA lead regional organizer Lydia Walther-Rodriguez. The group is demanding that ICE be transparent about any policy changes that impact the immigrant community. They also want to know if any mass deportations are on the horizon.

On second thought, I’m not even sure if The Onion would run with this story because they usually try to couch their humor in current events which might seem at least somewhat plausible. Have we really fallen this far down the rabbit hole?

We’re seeing a publicly active group of social justice warriors demanding that ICE announce their plans to conduct raids and deport people in advance. To steal a popular line from one of those viral advertising campaigns, that’s not how this works. That’s not how any of this works.

When the FBI is tracking a group of terrorist sympathizers, bank robbers or child pornography ring operators, they don’t put out a press release in advance letting them know that they’re coming. This is law enforcement. You’re in the country illegally. The entire point is to actually catch you so you can be processed and deported. We don’t send out appointment cards for that sort of thing.

Is any of this starting to sink in?

The other question hanging over this story involves the rationale for cancelling the operation. Slate seemed to suggest that Homeland Security might have pulled the plug at least partially because NBC News published the leaked memo. And NBC doesn’t seem to be shying away from that very hot take.

The ICE operation targeting 8,400 undocumented immigrants was called off after the NBC News story, published on Thursday, revealed the scheduled raids, according to the network. “While we generally do not comment on future potential law enforcement actions, operational plans are subject to change based on a variety of factors,” ICE spokesman Sarah Rodriguez said in a statement Thursday. “Due to the current weather situation in Florida and other potentially impacted areas, along with the ongoing recovery in Texas, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) had already reviewed all upcoming operations and has adjusted accordingly.

It sounds as if Homeland Security is sticking to the story that the hurricanes caused them to postpone. But NBC almost seems to be bragging about sinking the operation. If that’s actually the case, shouldn’t NBC wind up being accountable in some fashion? A scheduled law enforcement activity winds up being leaked in advance, potentially alerting all of the suspects and giving them time to flee before agents arrive at their doors. That’s not “reporting the news.” It’s aiding and abetting criminals. Can they get away with that?

Hey, I’m just tossing the idea out there for consideration.